Bread & Dough Techniques
Semola Rimacinata
Also: semolina rimacinata, twice-milled semolina, farina di semola rimacinata di grano duro
Twice-milled durum wheat semolina ground to a finer, silkier consistency than standard semola, essential to southern Italian pasta and bread.
/seh-MO-lah ree-mah-chee-NAH-tah/Italian; from Latin simila (fine flour) + rimacinata, past participle of rimacinare (to mill again). The grain tradition is rooted in Puglia and Basilicata, where durum wheat has been cultivated since Magna Graecia.
Definition
Semola rimacinata (literally 'remilled semolina') is produced by passing coarse durum wheat semolina through the mill a second time, reducing particle size to roughly 200–350 microns — finer than standard semola (300–500 microns) but still coarser than soft-wheat '00' flour. The result is a flour with a golden-yellow hue from carotenoid pigments, a pleasantly gritty hand feel, and a high protein content (11–13%) built on the gluten-forming proteins of Triticum durum. Its elasticity is lower than soft-wheat doughs — durum gluten is strong but extensible rather than stretchy — which means doughs must be worked longer to hydrate fully and benefit from extended rest. In pasta making it yields a firm, toothsome texture that resists overcooking; in bread (most famously Pane di Altamura DOP and Pane di Matera) it produces a dense, compact crumb with a distinctive wheaten sweetness and a thick, crackly crust. Because of its coarser grind it absorbs water more slowly than soft-wheat flour; doughs are typically hydrated at 55–65% and given a 20–30 minute autolysis before final kneading. A light dusting of semola rimacinata on work surfaces prevents sticking without absorbing excess moisture the way cornmeal would.
In use
“She mixed the semola rimacinata with water and a pinch of salt, working the stiff dough for fifteen minutes before resting it under a cloth — by the time she returned, it had relaxed into a smooth, extensible sheet ready to be cut into orecchiette.”
See also
- TechniqueOrecchiette
- ConceptGluten Development
- IngredientDurum Wheat
Related terms
References
- 1.The Italian Baker — Carol Field
- 2.Mastering Pasta — Marc Vetri & David Joachim
- 3.Larousse Gastronomique — Prosper Montagné et al. (2001 ed.)
- 4.Disciplinare di Produzione — Pane di Altamura DOP (MIPAAF, Italy)
Confidence: high
Notes
Semola vs. Semola Rimacinata
Standard semola is the first milling of durum wheat and is sold as a coarse, sandy flour best for dusting pasta boards or enriching bread crusts. Semola rimacinata undergoes a second milling that reduces particle size without converting the grain to the starchy, bleached character of soft-wheat flour. The distinction matters practically: a dough made with standard semola will be noticeably grittier and drier; one made with semola rimacinata is smooth enough for sheeted pasta while retaining the firm bite durum is prized for.
DOP Breads
Pane di Altamura DOP (Puglia) must be made exclusively from semola rimacinata of durum wheat grown in the Alta Murgia plateau. Its protected status — one of only two Italian breads with DOP designation — means the milling specification is enshrined in Italian law, underscoring how central the twice-milling step is to the bread's character.