What You Need to Know About Flours: Italian Flours Part 2
Italian and Alternative Flours: 00, W-Value, Spelt
In the first part, we decoded the codes on Hungarian flour bags. In this second part, we will discuss Italian flours, especially since pizza recipes are filled with 00 flour, W 280, and Manitoba, while spelt, durum, and rice flour are also lined up on the shelf. Let’s organize these now.
00, 0, 1, 2: The Italian System
The Italian classification measures the same thing as the Hungarian: how refined the flour is, or how much bran remains in it. The order is just reversed. The lower the number, the more bran it contains.
| Italian Type | How Refined? | Roughly Corresponds to This |
| 00 | the finest, ash content max. 0.55% | BL55 |
| 0 | slightly less refined, max. 0.65% | between BL55 and BL80 |
| 1 and 2 | increasingly more bran | BL80, BL112 |
| integrale | whole grain | Graham flour |
The most common misconception: 00 does not mean “stronger” or “more pizza-like” flour. The zeros only refer to fineness and say nothing about strength.
The W-Value: The Strength of Flour
The strength of flour is indicated by the letter W and a number. This shows how well the dough can withstand long fermentation, how much water it can absorb, and how long it retains gases. The strength primarily depends on the type of wheat and the quality of proteins, not whether the flour is 0 or 00.
| W-Value | Strength | What Is It Good For? |
| Below 170 | weak | cookies, shortcrust pastry, sponge cake |
| 220–240 | medium | sheet pizza, focaccia with short fermentation |
| 260–320 | strong | Neapolitan pizza with long, refrigerated fermentation, biga, poolish |
| Above 300 | very strong (e.g., Manitoba) | panettone, brioche, large leavened doughs, mixing with weaker flour |
The W-value is not indicated on every bag, but many Italian brands do display it. If your pizza dough is fermenting in the fridge for 24–72 hours, look for flour around W 260.
And Manitoba?
Manitoba flour originally comes from Canada and is made from very strong, high-protein wheat; today, it is more of a name for a strength category. Its W-value is typically above 300, which is why it is used for large, long-rising doughs, such as panettone, brioche, and fluffy sweet breads. It is rarely used alone for pizza because the dough becomes too chewy. However, if you want to strengthen a weaker flour, adding 20–30% Manitoba will work wonders.
Semola: The Golden Flour of Durum Wheat
Semola is the flour made from durum wheat. Durum is a harder variety of wheat that mainly grows in Southern Italy, along the Mediterranean, and in North America. Its yellowish, amber color is due to natural carotenoids, which is why pasta and bread made from durum are also golden in color.
Durum is rich in protein, but its gluten behaves differently than that of common wheat. It is less elastic and more solid: it holds its shape well and does not retract after rolling. This makes it perfect for pasta, and this is why it won’t produce as airy a bread as pastry flour.
Semola or Semola Rimacinata?
- Semola di grano duro: coarser, sand-like flour, somewhat reminiscent of semolina. It is better for sprinkling, crispy coatings, and polenta-like dishes.
- Semola rimacinata: double-milled, much finer, and feels floury to the touch. If a recipe calls for semola for pasta, bread, or pizza, it almost always means this.
At home, you can find it under the name “durum flour” or “durum semolina,” while Italian products are labeled as semola rimacinata. Don’t confuse it with the semolina used for milk porridge, as that is made from common wheat.
What to Use Semola For?
- Dry Pasta: In Italy, store-bought dried pasta is made from durum wheat. This keeps it al dente and prevents it from becoming mushy in water.
- Eggless Homemade Pasta: Orecchiette, cavatelli, and pici are simply made with semola rimacinata and warm water.
- Egg Pasta: A 50/50 mix of 00 flour and semola gives a silky yet chewy dough for tagliatelle and ravioli.
- Bread: Southern Italian durum breads have a yellow crumb, a slightly nutty flavor, and stay fresh longer. At home, try replacing 20–30% of your bread flour with semola.
- Pizza: 10–20% semola rimacinata in the dough gives a crispier base and a nicer color. Sprinkled on the peel, it rolls under the dough like small balls, making it easy to slide the pizza into the oven, and semola doesn’t burn as quickly as regular flour.
Spelt, Rye, and Their Companions
- Spelt Flour: The flour of this ancient wheat variety has a slightly nutty flavor. Its gluten is weaker and looser, so don’t over-knead it and account for less water. It is not an alternative for those with gluten sensitivity, as it contains gluten.
- Rye Flour: Has a sour, characterful taste and denser crumb. It is usually used mixed with wheat flour in bread, and it works best with sourdough.
- Rice Flour: Gluten-free. Excellent for crispy coatings, tempura, and gluten-free thickening of sauces.
- Corn Flour: Gluten-free, sweet. Used for polenta, cornbread, and coatings for fried foods.
- Almond Flour: Actually ground almonds. It doesn’t rise, has no gluten, but is great for macarons, gluten-free, and low-carb baked goods.
What Should You Keep at Home?
Most households will find that BL55, BFF55, and a BL80 are sufficient. If you regularly make pizza, get a strong 00 pizza flour as well. If you love homemade pasta, a bag of semola rimacinata will also come in handy. Everything else is for the experimenters, but experimenting is the best part.
In the next part, we will put all of this into practice and see which flour is best for Neapolitan, Roman, New York, or sheet pizza by style.
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