louisp (03/10/83)
#N:tekcad:13800009:000:2030
tekcad!louisp Mar 10 15:30:00 1983
There is an old wives tale that one is supposed to use Semolina flour
to make pasta. I think this is primarily derived from the fact that all
"good imported" commercial dried pasta is made from semoliona. I can even
find many "pasta" books or "Italian" cookbooks that say semolina is the
proper flour. Remember, they told Columbus that he was going to sail off
the end of the world !!!!
If one is to look at the agritural history of Italy, One finds that the
common grains were NOT Durham wheats. (Semolina is made from Durham wheat).
Their wheats were very similiar to the hard and soft wheats produced in our
own midwest. Italy was also a very large importer of American flours.
You ask what is this fellow getting at?? THIS... Commercial pastas are
made from semolina because the flour is a very durable flour, and endures
the commercial drying processes very well. Semolina probably does make a very
good commercialy dried pasta BUT NOT the best homemade fresh variety!!. It
isn't even authentic. Use standard American unbleached all-purpose flour for
your homemade pasta and you will get a far superior product.
I realize that we're all used to using/recommending some obscure, hard-
to-get, and expensive ingredient to produce the "finest", but it's just not
the case here ,nor desired, for making pasta. I too have been duped, and have
made pounds and pounds of semolina pasta, and it just doesn't hold a candle
to a softer all purpose flour. The all purpose produces a far more delicate
texture, and is a much easier dough to work. I realize there is no snob appeal
to all purpose flour, but your palate will appreciate the difference. If you
want to get fancy, make red or green pasta. For this years extra special
Christmas dinner, I made red, white and green pasta for one creation, It was
colorful to say the least.
The Mad Italian
Louis Pengue
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ARPAnet:louisp.tek@rand-relayCAD:kalash (03/12/83)
#R:tekcad:13800009:ucbcad:12900002:000:196 ucbcad!kalash Mar 11 14:32:00 1983 Hmmm, I have tried both semolina and standard flour in making my pasta (by machine I will admit) and I find that semolina makes a better pasta. Ah well, to each their own taste... Joe Kalash