Nutritional propertirs of durum wheat semolina pasta

Being composed of only two ingredients, the quality of the pasta depends almost exclusively on the quality of the durum wheat semolina. From a nutritional point of view, it contains more proteins and gluten than soft wheat flour and the resulting products have better conservation, a lower glycemic index and contain carotenoids, pigments capable of binding and eliminating free radicals. In addition, the ability to retain starch ensures perfect cooking, preventing the pasta from sticking as happens to that produced with soft wheat.

Precisely to preserve the tradition of pasta, Italian legislation requires the use of durum wheat flour in the production of dry pasta (Law no. 580 of 1967 and subsequent amendments). However, for some time the marketing of pasta obtained from soft or mixed wheat has been authorized, which has brought low quality pasta brands to the shelves of our supermarkets, which do not respect this ancient art and offer a product whose organoleptic characteristics are not comparable. to real Italian pasta.

Durum and soft wheat semolina pasta: do you know the differences?

Durum wheat semolina pasta, to be named as such, must be the result of the drawing, rolling and drying of a dough prepared exclusively with durum wheat semolina and water, without the addition of coloring and preservatives. The particular properties of durum wheat ensure that the starch does not disperse and therefore the pasta does not overcook, ensuring that it is firmly cooked and a dish with a unique and authentic taste.

But what are the differences between the two types of wheat?

Soft wheat is a type of wheat that breaks easily and is used to obtain the so-called white flour, which can be of various types based on the degree of
refining: type 0, type 00, type 1, type 2 and wholemeal flour. Soft wheat flour is generally used for leavened and baked products, as the resulting dough has a medium-low toughness and therefore good extensibility. Soft wheat flour also contains less protein and a lower absorption capacity than durum wheat flour.
Durum wheat is a type of wheat that breaks easily, has a coarse grain and an amber-yellow color. From its grinding we obtain semolina, wholemeal semolina and re-milled semolina. Compared to white flour, semolina is more grainy and of a more intense yellow, due to the presence of carotenoids. Durum wheat semolina has a high tenacity and lower extensibility than white flour and is therefore suitable for both bread making and pasta production.

How “GIANNOBILE” durum wheat semolina pasta is produced

The Giannobile pasta factory, located in Perano in the province of Chieti, uses only semolina obtained from the best Italian durum wheat, free of impurities, of excellent quality and characterized by tenacious gluten. Once delivered into the hands of our master pasta maker, the semolina is subjected to rigorous controls and used in a short time
to ensure the intact conservation of its original values. During the kneading phase it is combined with 20-30% of water, thus forming a gluten network that envelops the starch, preventing it from being dispersed in water during cooking. Once the optimal consistency and plasticity have been achieved, the dough is drawn with strictly bronze molds specially designed to perfectly calibrate the thicknesses and obtain the desired pasta shapes.
Then follows the most delicate phase, drying, which Massimo Giannobile chooses to do slowly and at low temperatures, in order not to compromise the quality of the finished product. The first part of this process involves the surface layers of the pasta, which begins to stiffen and lose about a third of the total moisture, after which the final drying takes place in special dryers at a controlled temperature. The pasta is then stabilized by bringing it back to room temperature to avoid thermal stress. These delicate and very long processes that can even exceed 72 hours guarantee the high quality of Giannobile pasta. The packaging phase, carried out manually by our employees who pack it in transparent bags and then in boxes, ready to reach the points of sale in every corner of the world.