The Fresh Loaf

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Italian Style Flour [KAF]

dablues's picture
dablues

Italian Style Flour [KAF]

Am not sure if I should post this here or not.  I have some Italian Style Flour from KAF, and the recipe on the bag is for focaccia.  Any ideas on an alternative recipe I could use instead of focaccia?  I would like to use this flour up. 

mrfrost's picture
mrfrost

Funny that even KAF doesn't have many recipes specifying this flour. I guess most/many that order it are using it in place of true Italian 00 flour, which they use to make various pizza dough formulas.

A search at KAF for Italian style flour brings up a couple pages of lists of recipes, but again, only a few(besides pizza and flatbreads) really call for that flour.  A couple are:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sesame-semolina-braid-recipe

Well, really that looks like the only one. All the rest are flat breads, pizzas, crackers, etc. But maybe I really did not look close enough.

dablues's picture
dablues

Thanks for the link for the recipe.  I think I will try this recipe out. 

nicodvb's picture
nicodvb

I can't imagine any other use for that kind of flour other than cakes, creams and biscuits. Yes, there are several 00 flours fit to make bread, but they are a tiny  minority.

Even their taste is as rich as that of pure starch.

polo's picture
polo

00 flour is used for neopolitan pizza crust. SOmething about being workable at a higher hydration which is necessary at the high hearth temps of the wood ovens.

mrfrost's picture
mrfrost

For whatever reason, Italian 00 is what this flour seeks to emulate. Being in Italy, you may not understand it, but here, it's a different story.

"Our American clone of Italian 00 flour..."

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/king-arthur-italian-style-flour-3-lb

Does that help?

mrfrost's picture
mrfrost

" King Arthur's top-selling flour...online"

Reading from the link posted above. That's interesting, and somewhat surprising. Guess that's just an indicator of how much pizza is "big business"  these days.

rjerden's picture
rjerden

I haven't used the KAF Italian style flour, but I use real Italian 00 flour all the time. It comes in different strengths.

If this is a weak flour, it would make great grissini, for example, but you might want to consider using it like a southern U.S. flour, to make airy light waffles, pancakes, or biscuits. In fact, I use it to make the lightest waffles you've ever seen, even lighter than White Lily.

If it is medium strength, use it to make baguettes or Pane di Como, or small rolls.

I doubt that it is high gluten flour.

I use mixtures of Delverde 00 flour, which is a soft wheat flour, and Hodgson Mill AP to make most of my Italian breads. These all require a 12-20 hour biga to develop the gluten and the rich flavor missing in a straight dough.

varda's picture
varda

I know this isn't likely a proper use of it, but I made a ciabatta with KA Italian flour.   I followed the Hamelman Poolish ciabatta, and the dough came out very wet (I would reduce the water a bit next time) and I ended up pouring it into a pot to cook it, but the flavor and texture were fantastic.   I posted about it here.  http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/20923/fun-italian-flour Afterwards I read that I should only use it for pizza or focaccia but I'd do this again with a few adjustments, next time some comes my way.  -Varda

dablues's picture
dablues

Thanks to all for the tips on using this flour!

rayel's picture
rayel

I also have made ciabatta with it, and am happy with the tender crust etc. It also makes a nice breakfast roll with egg and cheese, similar to Pannera's. Ray

breadbythecreek's picture
breadbythecreek

We use Caputo 00 flour for making pasta in the food processor - just flour, eggs, and water. Turns out so tender and yummy. I can't imagine using anything else.