semolina

[skan]

Hello

Could anybody give me a close-up picture of the semolina used to prepare pizza, please?
I’m trying to find it (or something similar) in my country.

I don’t know if the semolina is:
"the coarse, purified wheat middlings of durum wheat used in making pasta… " (Wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sa_semolina_far.jpg

Or durum flour (finely ground semolina), that looks like flour. (Wikipedia too)

The first one can be acquired easily in my country, something with bits/grains of 2mm (0.1in), the second one not.

Or maybe any of them is right when in gets wet because it will soften, or maybe it’s better if you feel the grains?
Do I need to mill it?, I just have an electric blender and it can’t “catch” the grains.

Do you use semolina to

• dust baking sheets and peels so the dough doesn’t stick
• mix it with the dough
• put it on top of the dough
  ?

 

[BBH]

A good read on the difference:
http://www.theartisan.net/sicilian_bread.htm

I use Semolina in the dough in ratios of 10% to 20% total flour depending on crust style. Many places also use it the same way as well as “under the dough” to assist in hand forming as well as easing the transition from paddle to oven or screen. Semolina adds flavor as well as texture in the finished crust were it imparts finer crumb. It also adds color in the ratios above the dough is more golden after mixing. I would not see any reason to put Semolina on top of the dough.

BBH

 

[Tom_Lehmann]

Durum semolina flour is the type of flour most commonly used to make pasta parducts, I don’t know what country you’re in, but I’ll bet that you have a pasta manufacturer in country. You might contact them to see if you can purchase some semolina flour from them. Semolina flour is typically a bit more coarse and more yellow in color than your typical white flour.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor