Semolina Flour - History and uses
Semolina flour comes from Durum wheat, which is thought to have originated in the southern parts of the Mediterranean basin, or possibly in Abyssinia.
It was cultivated in Byzantine Egypt, where it was used for making dishes like cous cous and tabbouleh. When milled into flour, it is used for breads and pasta.
It is especially good for making flatbreads and pizza bases, due to its high protein content, which allows it to be rolled flat and still hold together. It has also found its way into Chinese, Arab and Turkish cuisines. The range of its uses is not limited to bread and noodles, however. It is used also in pastries, porridges, gruel and soup, as well as for some utilitarian purposes in bakeries, including as a 'dusting' flour, both for decoration of bread, and for sprinkling on baking sheets and canvases to help release the cooked dough from them without the use of oil.
Grades of Semolina
Semolina flour comes in various grades, which could be roughly categorised into coarse, fine and superfine grades.
Coarse grade semolina flour is used for dusting bread, baking trays and canvases. It is also used for porridge and as a thickener for soups and sauces.
Fine grade semolina flour is used in pasta and as a component of breads, particularly flat breads. It is sometimes used in pastries and middle eastern treats like baklava.
Superfine grade semolina flour is used in pastries, cakes, desserts and as a component of certain breads.
Other common breadmaking ingredients in this section include:
Wheat flour - history, uses and grades
Rye flour - tips for using and links to recipes
Spelt flour - history and why it's good to use in breadmaking
Salt - grades and its importance in breadmaking
Semolina Bread Recipes
Semolina flour can be used in a variety of recipes which normally would use plain flour. Try it at 10% of the total flour weight (you also have to reduce the regular flour weight by the same amount).
If you are finding this is making the bread too chewy, try soaking the semolina as a paste with hot water beforehand until it cools, then mix with the flour and water in the dough as you normally would.
If you like the texture, some breads can handle as much as 50%. Dedicated recipes will follow, but in the meantime, try the above variations on some of the following sourdough recipes:
You can also have semolina success by varying these semi leaven recipes in the same way:
SourdoughBaker now has a complete range of books to purchase which will help to flesh out the information in the site. Visit the Recommended Reading section to find out more.
So, until next time,
Happy Sourdough Baking!
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