The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Next Community Bake coming up in a few days.

alfanso's picture
alfanso

Next Community Bake coming up in a few days.

For the next community bake I'll be featuring Semolina and its related grains.  If you wish to participate and don't have, or can't source, the very finely ground semolina/durum wheat, there will be mentioned a few alternative grains that can/may be used in its place.

All of the featured breads have unique characteristics from one another, with three embedded on the CB posting and an additional two on my corresponding blog entry, where all will be located as well, along with all formulae.

I know that there are some semolina/durum wheat aficionados amongst us, and hopefully we can pull the curious others into our CB lair, and perhaps those who may be too hesitant to take that first semolina step by themselves.

I promise that each of these five breads is totally different than any other, and I'll be highlighting the posts of some of our TFL brethren as examples of their bakes and experiences.

Looking forward to seeing your handiwork and craftsmanship in the CB.

Alan 

Monday morning edit.  Further note on the grain.

Durum vs Semolina

A bi-product of the milling process to create semolina is durum flour, an even finer flour. Durum flour may be milled multiple times once separated from the coarse wheat middlings (semolina). Durum flour is quite fine and resembles more traditional baking flour, whereas semolina flour is much coarser. However, both flours still have high gluten and protein contents. Both semolina flour and durum flour are used to make pastas and bread, though durum flour maybe be used more often for bread-making

 

Abe's picture
Abe (not verified)

Is just highlighting durum flour and we have a choice of three recommended recipes? Sounds like a good plan. Looking forward! 

Ilya Flyamer's picture
Ilya Flyamer

That's exciting Alan, thanks for the warning and for running the CB! Somewhat opposite turn from rye, nice variety.

I think my source of semola rimacinata is closed due to lockdown... I am guessing one of the replacements is Kamut, I have some of that :)

BXMurphy's picture
BXMurphy

I second Ilya's comment on the CB alert. Nicely played so that bakers can get flour on the weekend if they need it.

I'm going to look at some recipes in preparation for a shadow bake.

Thanks for running these, Alan!

Murph

Benito's picture
Benito

Love the new idea of featuring a grain and all using a grain to learn more about it.  It just so happens that I ordered and received 3 kg of Semola rimacinata this past week so this is the perfect CB.  I wasn’t sure what I was going to bake with it other than my favourite semolina baguettes but I was thinking that I’d like to try my hand at a 100% semolina sourdough batard, but I’m open to anything.  Thanks for the heads up Alan.

Benny.

headupinclouds's picture
headupinclouds

I've just placed an order for durum wheat berries.  Thanks for carrying this forward.  It's a great forum for learning and a good nudge into new territory.  My folks often reminisce about the semolina breads they regularly brought home from the Italian bakeries near my hometown.  They have since moved away and into retirement and this will be a great chance for me to learn to bake something similar.

The Roadside Pie King's picture
The Roadside Pi...

I'm in! Semolina/durum wheat is good for more than just bread! Have a look-see.

 

 

The Roadside Pie King's picture
The Roadside Pi...

I restocked two weeks ago when I hit my pizza supply spot! 

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

Before anyone orders durum flour or semola rimacinata over the internet, I hope they check out the fantastic prices of 10 and 20 pound bags at their local Indian or Indo-Pak store.

See photos and Indianapolis prices here: https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/62248/praise-durum-flour-brar-mills

I paid $.65 / pound, for a 20 pound bag.   

In the past, I've seen "Golden Temple" brand in 10 pound bags.

alfanso's picture
alfanso

as you were the one who introduced me to these Indian brands.  I purchased the Golden Temple atta flour and gave it an initial test run, and found it to be completely satisfactory vs. a pure Italian semola rimacinata.  

General Mills also markets a reasonably priced semolina "duro grano".  But it is only sold in 50 lb. bags and the shipping is likely more costly than the grain itself.  My local supplier (Gordon Food Supply) does carry it, but I'm not willing to test my wife's ability to deal with another even larger sack of flour stuffed into a corner somewhere.  Not fond of sleeping in the bathtub!

The Roadside Pie King's picture
The Roadside Pi...

he rips open the bags and repacks.  All Trumps too. I am trying to get him to carry the unbleached natural one, but no luck so far. I know he would sell it to the home pizza guys like me.

 

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

If Dan gets involved in this CB  as much as he did with baguettes, he could go through 50 pounds.

Dan, did you ever add up how much flour you went through on the baguette CB ? ;-)

 

BXMurphy's picture
BXMurphy

idaveindy,

Thanks for that heads up! I never would have thought of that!

I did a search and found an Indo/Pak grocery store just 15 minutes away! I'm getting down there today.

I bought some Bob's Red Mill No. 1 Durum Wheat Semolina Flour from the (larger) supermarket. I would love to hear anybody's thoughts on this as I expect it might be more readily available.

I fed my 85% hydration 50/50 wheat/bread flour starter about 1/3 of this to see how it reacts. What could possibly go wrong?

Murph

alfanso's picture
alfanso

BRM sells only the #1 milled version of Semolina fours.  As the BRM website states this is ground to a "traditional sandy texture", good for pastas, porridges, cakes, etc.  But ground much less fine than the flours that we use in bread baking.

It can be used, but what would be a much better choice is semolina that Italians label "semola rimacinata", basically a much finer machined version of semolina.  You can use semolina #1, but the finely milled, flour-like version is what "most" bakers look for.  

What's the difference between semolina and durum wheat flour?

Texture. Both semolina and durum flour are products rendered from milled durum wheat. ... The texture of semolina is heavier, like hard bread crumbs, and is more coarse than most milled floursDurum flour is the fine ground powder left over from the milling process and also a product of semolina that's ground further. 
BXMurphy's picture
BXMurphy

idaveindy,

I just got back from my local Indian/Pakistani grocery store. Yowzer! Did that place smell nice or what!! It's like a ticking Flavor Bomb set to blow the back of my head off with deliciousness shrapnel! I think I'm missing something in my life that I'm going to start filling it with this semolina CB.

They had two - not one - but TWO durum flours there. You mentioned Golden Temple. It was stored in a cooler. That's what I bought.

The other was stacked on the floor about six or seven deep. I bought the Golden Temple but I suspect the other brand is the more popular given that more of it was available.

You were right, 70 cents per pound in a 20 pound sack.

I wish I looked at the other bag but I was too distracted. You mentioned three flours in a post a couple of years back. I couldn't find it again while I was standing there. All the new smells, ingredients, and wife chattering away with the helpful clerk made me want to run away before I bought the shop.

I'll still use up my Bob's Red Mill semolina and order some semola rimacinata to see the difference. And try to keep up.

Thank you for THAT little nugget! I'm going to try some of those flavors and maybe sneak some in my breads when I get adventurous!!

Murph

gavinc's picture
gavinc

I can't buy durum flour anywhere locally, so I thought to mill some semolina into flour. I considered couscous, however, I read that it is processed with water and not the best option for milling. Today I stoned milled some semolina into flour and it worked great. I'm ready to go!

 

yozzause's picture
yozzause

hi Gavin Caputo do a Couple of flours and you should be able to get them in Melbourne

 

gavinc's picture
gavinc

Thanks. I go looking.

 

BXMurphy's picture
BXMurphy

Thanks, yozzause,

I bought two bags of your second photo. It was readily available in the states from Amazon. I now have more flour than brains!

Abe has a ton of Einhorn that he has to use up. Benny is stocking his walk-in bedroom closet with flour. Where does it end?

I bought my Christmas present today: A Mercer Culinary M23210YL Bread Knife. Plus a sheath! People are talking about slicing fingers to the bone with this knife. Which is nice.

At ~$20 bucks, it's my most expensive piece of bread-baking equipment. I also picked up a couple of real, cloth-lined bannetons. They come with a lame and dough scraper. Each.

The lame is much like my razor blade on a popsicle stick. With mine, at least, I got the popsicle. I don't have a dough scraper, though. Now, I'll have two.

The oval banneton is longer than my Dutch oven. This means I'll be looking at lava rocks or Mega Steam from Sylvia. I haven't heard of too many people breaking their ovens with that much steam. Which is also nice.

I've been getting acceptable - not perfect -  results from my breads so far. It's come to a point where supermarket bread tastes miserable - even the uber-grain breads. I have to find the rhythm to work all this into my schedule. That will come with solid note-taking, I'm sure.

I'm jumping into the Semolina Community Bake. The bakers there are over-the-top helpful and really know what they are doing. You and the other bakers will really tighten up my game.

Thank you for helping me,

Murph

 

yozzause's picture
yozzause

Well done you Murph sounds like you did well with your buys and Christmas.

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

Gavin, congrats on your ingenuity of milling semolina into flour.

But... are you saying there are no Indian grocery stores near you?   They are almost guaranteed to have both gritty semolina and actual finely gound durum flour.

Try: https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=indian+grocery&find_loc=melbourne%2C+australia

The Yelp map shows them from Werribee to Boronia,  and from South Morang  to Narre Warren.

gavinc's picture
gavinc

Thanks idaveindy. The nearest Indian supply I can locate is about an hour from here (Rosebud). I should be able to find Caputo closer. I'm going to make a loaf with what I milled to see how it turns out.

 

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

Semolina Rimacinata can be purchased from Amazon in the US.

This is what I have used in the past. It is a finely milled yellow flour of high quality.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3XO2Q9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Benito's picture
Benito

The Semola rimacinata is also available in the Amazon store in Canada which is where I ordered it from.  https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07NMYJQNK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_53DbGbHN4DBV5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

MTloaf's picture
MTloaf

I got mine from them and it is good stuff! It makes excellent pasta as well.

Abe's picture
Abe (not verified)

A fine semolina will also work with very similar results especially as a percentage of the flour if one really can't find Semola di Rimacinata (durum flour).