WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOFT WHEAT AND DURUM WHEAT?
They are two different species of cereals belonging to the same family (Gramineae). At first glance,soft wheat(Triticum aestivum) has an ear with smaller, rounded grains, with very small or completely absent filamentous ends, unlike durum wheat (Triticum durum) in whose ear the filaments attached to the grains are much longer (up to 20 cm). The name itself indicates the resistance of the grains to mechanical crushing and therefore to grinding, which also gives birth to very different products. Moreover, while soft wheat prefers a mild climate, durum wheat does not like moisture and grows well in sunny and windy climates, which is why the former had a greater diffusion in the northern areas and the latter in the central-southern areas of Italy. Also from the nutritional point of view of their derived products, the two cereals differ considerably.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLOUR AND SEMOLINA?
The difference basically consists in the cereal from which they are obtained. From soft wheat, we obtain a white flour (commonly called flour with a very fine grain size and almost insubstantial to the touch, which is defined as "00", "0", "1", "2" or "wholemeal" according to a decreasing degree of fineness. This flour has a lower protein content and a higher glycemic index than durum wheat derivatives but it is more extensible and therefore has a medium-low level of toughness and tends to absorb less water. All these characteristics make the flour (soft wheat) more suitable to be used in the production of certain types of bread, pizza, leavened bakery products, egg pasta, cakes and pastries in general.
Durum wheat flour (also known as semolina) on the other hand, is extracted from durum wheat and has a characteristic amber colour that is also assumed by the products in which it is used. It has a coarser grain size that can be further reduced by further grinding (the product obtained in this case is called regrinded semolina). The semolina has a higher protein content and a lower glycemic index than soft wheat derivatives, and is also rich in carotene (antioxidant), dietary fibre, mineral salts (phosphorus, potassium and iron) and vitamin E. They tend to absorb a greater quantity of water and the resulting dough, generally more rustic and compact, is less extensible but much more tenacious. The use of semolina is mainly aimed at the production of dry pasta, some types of characteristic bread types of the southern Italy regions and couscous.
WHAT IS MANITOBA FLOUR?
Originally, this name was used to indicate a soft wheat flour cultivated in a vast region of North America that coincides roughly with the province of the same name in southern Canada. It is characterized by a high strength, understood as resistance over time to processing. This factor (W) - which is measured with an instrument called the "Chopin beehiveograph" classifies the flours according to a scale, called Chopin's scale - is over 350 out of a maximum of 370 in this flour. This happens because this soft wheat, adapted to grow in such cold areas that no wheat could ever grow there, contains a level of glutenine and gliadin (insoluble proteins that in contact with water form gluten) which is much higher than normal. This characteristic makes Manitoba flour much sought-after for its mechanical properties rather than its nutritional properties, in fact it is often used to "adjust" so-called "weak" flours. These prerogatives obviously favour leavening at the expense of the health aspect. Nowadays, all the so-called "strong" flours are defined as Manitoba, generally with a W factor over 350, regardless of their geographical origin.
WHAT IS KAMUT?
It is good to clarify right away that Kamut is not a cereal but simply a registered trademark owned, by the American Quinn family. The flour (which is indeed a semolina) that bears this name is obtained from a durum wheat belonging to the Khorasan strain (which is the same to which Saragolla belongs) and is mainly grown in the state of Montana and in the Canadian regions of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Nowadays, the protection of the seed, which was patented under the name of QK-77, has expired, so anyone can grow it but only the Quinn company can affix its trademark.
WHY IS SOMETIMES EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL BITTER AND SPICY?
The sensation of bitterness, together with the spicy and fruity sensation are positive features of high quality oils. This sensation is mainly due to the presence of polyphenols which are antioxidant substances. It is essential to understand that the bitter and spicy sensations in an extra virgin olive oil are a sign of a high health standard, unparalleled in other dietary fats. The polyphenolic complexes present in extra virgin olive oil, in fact, prevent cellular aging, have an anti-tumor function and protect against some cardiovascular diseases. Paradoxically, the bitterer and the spicier an extra virgin olive oil is, the more it is rich in polyphenols and therefore healthy, the ideal would be to never exceed a certain sensory balance between bitter, spicy and fruity, otherwise the nutritional value could prove to be a sensory defect.
There are many factors that can determine these sensations: first of all the variety of the olives, their degree of ripeness (veraison) but also other agronomic factors.
A study conducted in 2009 in the Department of Food Science of the University Federico II of Naples (Prof. Raffaele Secchi) has shown that heat treatment (cooking) can attenuate these sensations but, on the other hand, after cooking the fruity scents of the fresh oil are also lost. The same scientific study has also shown that oil in contact with foods such as cheese or ricotta loses an important part of its bitterness potential.
HOW MANY VARIETIES OF OLIVE TREES ARE THERE IN ITALY?
Net of the cases of synonymy, which have been resolved in recent years thanks to DNA analysis, as many as 538 olive cultivars, have been recognized in Italy, divided between oil and table olives, which correspond to about 42% of the world total. However, it must be said that 90% of the entire national production revolves around about fifty varieties that are more widespread on the national territory, since many cultivars are geographically located in very limited areas. The vastness of this genetic patrimony is the main wealth of Italy's olive-growing capital and is also largely due to the existence of numerous microclimates and is the basis on which the various Denomination of Protected Origin (DOP) certifications are created and allow to recognize the qualitative values of production in the individual areas.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEMOLINA AND SEMOLATO?
Both are derived from durum wheat. Compared to durum wheat, however, the semolato is more raw because it is less sifted, in fact it contains more mineral salts (ash), but it is devoid of the rougher bran, which is instead present in whole wheat semolina. From a nutritional and a health point of view, so, semolato is more complete than semolina, since the residual dietary fibre contributes to a feeling of satiety and favours the intestinal passage, as well as lowering blood sugar and bad cholesterol levels; it also contains polyphenols which are natural antioxidants as well as vitamin E which is present in flour to a greater extent than in semolina. Semolato products also have a characteristic taste like freshly ground flour which, in the case of pasta, can already be perceived during cooking.
WHAT IS THE RIGHT PRICE FOR A QUALITY EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL?
As with any good product, the price of a good olive oil depends on a number of factors. First of all, there are the high costs of normal cultivation operations, especially pruning and suckering but also fertilizing, ploughing and shredding the grass, as well as harvesting and milling the olives themselves. Even the geographic configuration of the cultivation areas has an impact on the final price, in fact if, for example, the olive groves are located on a very steep ground, the production costs increase considerably because the aid of mechanical means is very limited. These fixed costs correspond to a rather variable olive yield which depends very much on the cultivar you used, the period and method of harvesting and also on climatic conditions. All the unforeseen events should be added to the aforementioned costs such as plant diseases, parasite attacks, etc. Obviously, the parameters that contribute to the formation of the final price do not finish here, because in addition to the costs linked to production, there are also costs for the milling of the olives, bottling, labelling, packaging, transport, the sales network, advertising, ... and the right profit for the producer! With this in mind, it is objectively very difficult that a 100% Italian and genuine extra virgin olive oil could be sold for less than 11-12 euros. If you think this is too much, remember that the oil you normally put in your car engine costs 15-16 euros on average! Is your body less important than your car?
HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE GOOD PASTA?
To begin with, it is advisable to choose pasta made with 100% Italian durum wheat semolina or semolato for the simple fact that, especially in the South, our producers enjoy optimal weather conditions for the natural ripening of wheat without needing to use those desiccants harmful to health widely used in other countries. In addition, if wheat is produced near processing sites, typical mycotoxins caused by long sea transports cannot appear.
Then you could also just read the protein data on the label. In general, the lower the protein level, the more digestible the pasta isbecause in pasta, protein means gluten. Pasta with a low protein level, within the limits of the law, besides being more digestible, is less prone to cause the so-called "gluten sensitivity". The high protein content is only passed off as an indication of quality by industry. In fact, the use of rich in protein semolina (often artificially enriched) makes it possible to reduce production times, thanks to shorter drying times helped by high temperatures. In this regard, it may be useful to know that this type of "quick" drying can also cause the formation of a toxin called "furosin" harmful to the kidneys and arteries; moreover, with high temperature drying, it is possible to use poor semolina.
If pasta, especially in bigger shapes, breaks a little, it is an indication that it does not contain so much gluten; another quality indicator of pasta is the water which must become a little cloudy during cooking. Be wary of pasta that does not break and does not slightly cloud the cooking water as it will also be less digestible. In addition, you should be wary of pasta that does not overcook as it is certainly rich in gluten and will have undergone a quick drying at a very high temperature that has "gelatinized" the starch contained in the semolina.
And, in the end, the taste is fundamental. Here it's almost impossible to be mistaken, only by choosing the small local artisan workshops, can we find the typical spicy flavour of wheat which is not treated at a very high temperature. This exceptional aromatic property is further enhanced in products based on semolato instead of semolina, since the former still contains wheat germ. The same is true for the characteristic roughness that onlybronze drawing can give to the pasta, allowing the sauce to adhere perfectly both inside and outside the different pasta shapes.
