Getting your bearings in the world of flour is really difficult. Fundamental elements in the definition of the product are the grains used and the type of grinding chosen. But which ones are the best? We asked the producers directly, who gave answers that were far from obvious, because "The best advice for the consumer who wants to choose a quality flour is to find out about the company: in Italy there are many serious ones." A suggestion that we share, and that comes from those who know about flour: Riccardo Agugiaro, of Agugiaro&Figna, a company whose history dates back to the 19th century.

Technical and nutritional quality

«There is a technological quality and a nutritional quality and many times, in "In the case of flour, they don't get along very well!" This is Francesca Varvello, from Varvello 1888.

Technological quality

«Technological quality is what is appreciated by those who work almost professional, who use long yeast times and test risen or flaked doughs where the technical qualities of the flour are fundamental: good water absorption, good resistance to yeast and easy workability, in the sense that The flour can be easily manipulated in the mixer or between your fingers without losing its consistency.

Nutritional quality

The nutritional quality of flour should be sought in its “richness” of nutritional components (carbohydrates, proteins, fibers and vitamins); Not only that, it should also be looked for in clear communication: real stone-ground flours contain all parts of the grain, including the germ oils: they cannot be kept for more than a couple of weeks if not "They are protected by special packaging because they become rancid."

Canadian and US grains (fine)

«As far as grains are concerned, from my 15 years of With experience in milling, I can conclude that, from the point of view of technological quality, primacy goes to Canadian and American grains, since the climatic and territorial characteristics are the most ideal. lines for growth of soft wheat. – continues Francesca Varvello – From the point of view of pesticide and mycotoxin controls, overseas grains are accompanied by complete files that guarantee their healthiness and track the interventions carried out on them. These files do not always accompany Italian cereals… The producer has the task of carrying out more controls and guaranteeing the healthiness of the flour.

Rule number one: educate yourself

In addition, the fact that the concept of quality is not univocal It is also clear from the words of Pietro Gabrieli, marketing director of Molino Quaglia: «Flour does not exist in nature and is not a food that is eaten as is. The ingredient is wheat and to judge a flour you need to know the origin of the wheat. That's why we buy cereals in the field and not in the produce bag. Quality then has many faces. The flavor, workability, stability, etc. The quality of our flours is immediately recognizable by its flavor and aroma: the way to recognize a good flour is to find out the origin of its grain, read the nutritional table, check that it is natural and finally smell its aroma in the bag and the flavor in “bakery products.” And regarding cereals, Gabrieli explains that "the best types of wheat are those with high protein quality. We use cereals grown with sustainable techniques no more than an hour from the mill, due to the benefits of the land historically suitable for this type of agriculture and due to the important advantages for the environment. Grinding then has a decisive influence on the flour yield. Our research is "aimed at obtaining flours that work without additives, cleaned by discarding grains with mycotoxins with the most advanced optical classification system in Europe."

The art of mixing

«It is said that an Italian wheat is better than a foreign one or a flour 00 is worse than stone ground. As with all things, there are good products and bad products. And a good flour necessarily comes from a good raw material, whether Italian or foreign." So Riccardo Agugiaro sums it up, with a vision that puts quality at the center. "There are grains suitable for different types of production: Italian grains are not "strong", that is, they are not suitable for making long-leavened products, for example, panettone. Not only that: in Italy we are missing soft wheat by at least 50-60%. There is not enough. So that we first chose Italian wheat, but then we moved on to the foreign market. But the choice to prioritize Italian wheat is an ethical choice, one that takes into account the environment, the economy of our country and the beauty of working with our farmers, selecting the varieties together with them.

Canadian wheat or Italian wheat?

It is not a question of quality: Canadian wheat is excellent and very controlled , is subject to controls upon departure from Canada, upon arrival in Italy and upon entry into establishments. as Austrian wheat is excellent: that foreign wheat costs less is a myth that must be dispelled! We Italians make the best flour in the world, buying the best grains from all over the world. A bit like coffee: it is not grown in Italy, but the best blends are produced. Well, we Italians select and combine the best grains in the best blends."

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