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WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU AT CIBUS FROM 3 TO 6 MAY 2022

smeraldiniemenazzi.it

HALL 5 STAND H052

TINA AND SOFIA are two of the five MOLINO NALDONI PIZZA FLOURS that boast the ITALICA brand, which is the line of flours obtained from the milling of 100% ITALIAN WHEAT. They are born f rom an accurate milling that makes them ideal for extensible and easy to work doughs. The choice to use only Italian wheat adds an important organoleptic value and a greater guarantee f rom a health point of view. For f ragrant and easily digestible pizzas.

ITALICS TO THE LAST GRAIN. molinonaldoni.it


EDITORIAL

4

Talking about flour today, in a market in which the main players are called into question by a conflict that breaks out on the world stage revolutionizing a balance that had been consolidated with hard work after World War II, is a “courageous” act because this problem is really “inside” this war and therefore could be confirmed or denied by the geopolitical assets that will be rebuilt in the next (we hope) months. The number you have in your hands is the second that Slices dedicates to flours, less than a year after the previous edition. We are talking about flours - and not flour - because “flours” is a plural concept, as many of you already know and as many others will have even clearer by browsing these pages. In fact, there are fewer and fewer pizza chefs who require "red sack" and "blue sack" without worrying about what is inside because it is now clear to most professionals in the sector that it is essential to be trained. Here is an example for everyone to illustrate how much this need is felt: a few months ago, The Cooking Lab dedicated an encyclopedic work in 3 volumes to pizza, Modernist Pizza, written by the authors of Modernist Bread (Nathan Myhrvold and Francisco Migoya), currently only available in English and from June also in Italian. To make it happen, he travelled all over the world and interviewed hundreds of professionals, dealing with styles and techniques, ingredients of course (first of all flours) with a lay and broad outlook. So, we need some culture.

Flours an italian flag

BY ANTONIO PUZZI

This is why my first editorial of Slices opens with a "reflection on the sidelines". Talking about flour means talking about the history of civilisation because the entire production process, from the cultivation of wheat to the harvest, to the selection, to the milling, takes time and serenity. Two things that we have realised are precious in this first part of 2022. Historically, wheat is a symbol associated with prosperity and, therefore, peace. It is therefore easy to understand that the war in which the West has found itself catapulted and which has the Donbass and Crimea as its spark and the Ukrainian cities as its primeval scenario, will have particularly significant consequences not only from a humanitarian point of view but also from a commercial point of view. So, in the following pages we will talk about which Italian flours, with selected grains (from Italy and other countries of the world) are the most suitable for making pizza, we will read stories of pizza makers who pay great attention to this precious raw material; but we have decided to open this issue with a topical article, an investigation to try to understand what will happen in the world of the art of baking. Happy reading and a greeting of peace, Antonio


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GRAINS

SUMMARY

ARTICLES

RECIPES

p.6

p.12

"From the sea and the earth we will make bread"

Food safety and traceability of both Italian and imported grains

BY ANTONIO PUZZI

BY THE EDITORIAL TEAM IN COLLABORATION WITH ITALMOPA

p.18

Ancient grains,

A PANORAMA OF THE ITALIAN VARIETIES BY CATERINA VIANELLO

BY DAVID MANDOLIN

Friedrick Schmuk

p.34

Marino Tanfoglio

p.44

Rosario Giannattasio

p.56

Daniele Campana

— p.26

About grains BY DAVID MANDOLIN

p.38

The importance of scientific research in crops

p.24

p.46

Let's (stone) mill the flour... BY DR. MARISA CAMMARANO, NUTRITIONIST BIOLOGIST

p.52

Soft wheat and durum wheat, the characteristics and destinations of use

BY DR. MARZIA FORGIONE, PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES


1. "From the sea and the earth we will make bread"/ “FROM THE SEA AND THE EARTH, WE WILL MAKE BREAD / WE WILL CULTIVATE THE EARTH AND THE PLANETS WITH WHEAT”,

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wrote Pablo Neruda, the Chilean poet exiled by Videla for his fights alongside the miners. At the time of exile, the Second World War had just ended, the one that would soon turn into the Cold War. And it was in those years that Neruda matured his "elementary odes", that is, songs for the elements of nature, starting with the vine and wheat. Bread therefore represents the symbol of sharing and fraternity, a fraternity recovered and hoped for, for "the earth and the planets" because agriculture - it is known - is born when man settles and this happens when a place is favourable for humanity both from a climatic and a "social" point of view. It is good to begin our reflection with this incipit so that those who, in the first hours of this war, do not desist from advocating armed responses to the attack by the Russian army, should take it into due account.

BY ANTONIO PUZZI

On Monday 14 March, while this issue is about to be closed in the editorial office, the Italian haulers went on strike against the "fuel price increase". Asking a hauler about the cost of a trip from the port of Naples to the intermodal centre of Milan, I was told that this is around €2,500 compared to €1,500 spent just a fortnight before. It is therefore easy to understand how this situation creates the risk of heavy repercussions in the movement of goods, both towards the final user and towards the agri-food processing industries. The reason is clear: energy resources such as gas and oil reach our country (and much of the West) from the area that has become the theatre of war. But it is also from that area that most of the common wheat arrives and is transformed into flour here. Suffice it to say that, among the 10 main wheat producing countries in the world, the only European one is Germany (in 7th place) with 28 million tons, of which 9 are exported. On the other hand, the USA which, together with Canada, occupy two places in the "top 10" have many and disparate types of flour on the market, yet the pizza professionals (and not only) often turn to the Italian market to buy flour.


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1. "FROM THE SEA AND THE EARTH WE WILL MAKE BREAD"

ODESSA, UKRAINE: Loading grain into holds of sea cargo vessel through an automatic line in seaport from silos of grain storage.

THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY MERIT FOR OUR NATION, BECAUSE IT INDICATES OUR GREAT TECHNICAL ABILITY IN THE MILLING ART, IT IS THE INDEX THAT WE HAVE REACHED VERY HIGH LEVELS OF SPECIALISATION AND THEREFORE WHOEVER INTENDS TO PREPARE A PRODUCT THAT IS "ITALIAN TRADITION" CAN ONLY START FROM THE PURCHASE OF ITALIAN FLOUR. However, this beautiful story must be accompanied by the flipside of the coin: we are in fact very good millers but Italy is not self-sufficient in the production of wheat, especially common wheat which is the one with which in the vast majority of cases pizza is prepared. Converting surfaces currently destined for other uses would have a strong environmental impact, not to mention that our climatic conditions (more suitable for durum wheat, excellent for pasta) would not guarantee the desired results. I asked Riccardo Agugiaro, CEO of Agugiaro & Figna Molini, what effects the protracted conflict in Eastern Europe will have. His response was somewhat emblematic:

“The conflict blocked naval traffic in the Black Sea ports, creating significant logistical problems, because these were used both by ships from Kazakhstan and for the transport of grain from other countries. Therefore, the quantity of wheat lacking is not only that coming from the two countries in conflict, but it includes a much larger basin. Furthermore, due to rising prices and high demand from states, other countries such as Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czechoslovakia and Austria are also blocking wheat exports to Italy, one of the most important buyers. This could lead, in the short term, not only to the increase in prices, but also to the scarcity of material". The reflection of Antimo Caputo, Managing Director of Mulino Caputo, who spoke along with me last Friday 11th March in the programme L’Italia con voi on Rai Italia is no different: "The war has subverted all world equilibrium in the field of grain transport and price equilibrium. We have reached really crazy prices, unmanageable for a simple product like flour. Similarly, transport has become unsustainable for all those products that come from Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine, not to mention that a third of

7—


BY ANTONIO PUZZI

8

the world production of cereals, corn, feed, oily seeds has stopped, catapulting us into a situation truly complicated to manage. Every day we have to face problems and solve them with love and dedication: in fact, in the last few hours we have had logistical blocks on the importation of grains, both within ports and in general in the handling of the grain itself. If this conflict continues or the scenario worsens, we will see a substantial increase in costs with a consequent increase of price lists ". he situation of the semolina for pasta is different. In a recent interview with the site lucianopignataro.it, Giuseppe Di Martino, owner of the pasta factory of the same name in Gragnano (but also of Pastificio dei Campi and Antonio Amato) declared:

"ITALIAN WHEAT PASTA WILL NOT HAVE ANY PRODUCTION PROBLEMS. THE CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN OVER FOR SOME TIME AND PRODUCTION HAS BEEN AT THE COST OF A YEAR AGO. CERTAINLY, SOME INCREASES MAY BE JUSTIFIED BY THE INCREASE IN ENERGY AND LOGISTICS COSTS [HOWEVER CONTAINED, IF ONE EVALUATES THE REDISTRIBUTION OF THESE INCREASES, ED ...] and it is true that Canada, another country of durum wheat production, has also had problems of drought, but the season is promising, both in Italy and there, and the raw material should not be in short supply ". Regarding soft wheat, he instead emphasizes:

“WITHOUT FOREIGN WHEAT WE WOULD MAKE IT TO JULY AT THE LATEST. AT THE MOMENT THE STOCKS ARE THERE […] THE LACK OF UKRAINIAN WHEAT COULD CREATE PROBLEMS, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT OTHER PRODUCTION AREAS, FIRST OF ALL THE USA AND CANADA”. We therefore have a few weeks, no more than a month, to think about it.


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BY ANTONIO PUZZI

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Maybe by learning something more from this story: the need to find alternative solutions for our pizza but also the need to always, only, find alternative solutions to war.


PERFORATED IT’S GI.METAL

INNOVATION, REVOLUTION, EVOLUTION Gi.Metal has been manufacturing INNOVATION for over 35 years: Functional and style news at its birth, in 1986. REVOLUTION in 1998 with the invention of the perforated peel, imitated from all over the world, Progress today with the new line EVOLUZIONE, created for people who are never satisfied. Over 35 years of history... because perfection cannot be improvised.

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BY THE EDITORIAL TEAM IN COLLABORATION WITH ITALMOPA *

Food safety and traceability of both Italian and imported grains


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FOOD SAFETY AND TRACEABILITY

Food safety - that is, the compliance of both wheat and durum and soft wheat flours with current EU regulations regarding the protection of consumer health - is an absolute priority for the milling industry. Compliance with current regulations is guaranteed by the constant and strict controls carried out both by the Supervisory Authorities - specifically, there are approximately 15 levels in the network of controls carried out by Italian and foreign institutions and bodies - and, as part of their own auto-control programme, by the operators of the supply chain in general and by the milling companies in particular. These controls further guarantee the wholesomeness of the raw material wheat and the flours obtained following its processing. Controls on the territory and entry controls for imported wheat, form the basis of the safety of the raw material used by processors. Specifically, let's go into some aspects with the Italmopa Co-Director, Dr. Tullio Pandolfi.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHECKS CARRIED OUT FOR ITALIAN GRAINS AND FOR THOSE COMING FROM ABROAD, AND BY WHICH AUTHORITIES, IN ORDER TO ENSURE FOOD SAFETY? The checks on wheat concern both the nationally farmed product and the imported product and both origins must comply with the same legal acceptability requirements. The importation of wheat into Italy from non-EU origins is subject, as for any other food that is not of animal origin, to the check of the border control posts (PCF) of the Ministry of Health. Numerous authorities have jurisdiction over controls once wheat, as all foods, is nationalised: • centrally, the Ministry of Health, the Regions, the autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano, the local health authorities and also the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies. In addition to these, the Carabinieri for the Protection of Health operate at a central level through the Antisophistication and Health Units, the Inspectorate for the

13 —

Quality Control of Agri-food Products, the Customs Agency, Central Area for customs duty checks and controls, with the Customs Chemical laboratories, the Finance Police and the State Forestry Corps (merged a few years ago in the Carabinieri); • marginally, there are the Food Hygiene and Nutrition services and the Higher Institute of Health for the technical-scientific aspects; finally, at the local level, we must remember the multi-area presidia, the regional agencies for environmental protection, the experimental zooprophylactic institutes, the regions and the autonomous provinces.


Slices// Slices

BY THE EDITORIAL TEAM IN COLLABORATION WITH ITALMOPA *

IS THERE ANY INDICATION IN THE BAG OR IS IT INFORMATION THAT REMAINS ONLY WITH THE PRODUCERS? IF THERE ARE, IN TERMS OF CONTAMINANTS, DIFFERENT PARAMETERS BETWEEN REGULATORY AGENCIES (FOR EXAMPLE BETWEEN NORTH AMERICA AND THE EU) HOW IS THE "QUESTION" DEALT WITH ONCE THE PRODUCT ARRIVES IN THE TERRITORY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION?

14

Based on the provisions of EC Reg. No. 178/2002, in order to be placed in the territory of the European Union, imported products must comply with the regulations in force in the European Union and therefore have the same health and hygiene requirements required for Community products. Should it be ascertained that they do not respect them, the products - in this specific case the wheat from non-EU countries will not be able to enter the EU.

Everything regarding food safety is to be considered a pre-requisite, which the operator of the milling sector, the mill, undertakes to respect both with regard to consumers and towards its customers. Information on these aspects is generally not reported, since flour producers are required to comply with the (Community) legislation on the provision of information to the consumer and the (national) law regarding the information to be reported on the bags intended for professional users. WHAT IS PRODUCERS' AUTO-CONTROL, WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY CONSIST OF? Food safety is ensured in the first place by the operators of the supply chain who, each with regard to their own processing phase, act to ensure compliance with the quality standards identified for production purposes. In this auto-control system there are activities that fall within legislative obligations - such as self-monitoring of hygiene and health and traceability - on


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the basis of community regulations on hygiene and food safety - while others, such as product or process certifications, are optional, although they are ever more widespread within the milling companies themselves. Within a complex supply chain, the various operators carry out audits to check the supply chain. This is also a non-mandatory activity, although widespread especially by larger companies. TRACEABILITY: HOW CAN THE PROFESSIONAL VERIFY THE PRODUCT SUPPLY CHAIN? All food products marketed within the territory of the European Union are subject to the traceability rules provided for by EC Reg. No. 178/2002. This is a mandatory requirement for producers, in accordance with the provisions of Article 18 of the same regulation which established, starting from 1 January 2005, a mandatory traceability system for food business operators, at all stages of the production chain.

FOOD SAFETY AND TRACEABILITY

Traceability is a tool aimed at ensuring a greater guarantee of food safety, which should therefore make it possible to identify the origin of the problems and limit them, and therefore to attribute the specific responsibilities of all those who operate in the supply chain. The EU Regulation does not require operators to adopt specific means: the obligation is expressed only in terms of results. Regardless of the procedures adopted, it will be necessary to be able to provide essential information regarding the procurement and sales of products to the competent Authorities upon request. The system for the traceability of products affects both food companies and feed companies, and involves the obligation to identify, on the one hand, the suppliers of the food, feed or substance 15 — intended to become part of a food or of a given feed, on the other hand the recipients of the products in order to be able to carry out targeted and precise withdrawals or provide information to consumers or controllers where a safety hazard is highlighted. Therefore, the suppliers of the various incoming products and the recipients of the outgoing products must be registered; that is, the documents of receipt of raw materials and those of shipment of the products must be kept (where the following is noted: raw material / product, supplier / customer, quality, date of shipment). Each operator must therefore, regarding their relative phase, be able to trace their suppliers upstream, and to identify their customers downstream. In the wheat milling sector, the implementation of the traceability system must meet the requirements of efficiency and applicability. The application of auto-control systems according to the principles of HACCP in the milling sector already provides a reas-


Slices// Slices

BY THE EDITORIAL TEAM IN COLLABORATION WITH ITALMOPA *

suring framework in terms of hygiene and health safety guarantees for flours. In the event that the flour is found to be non-compliant in terms of food safety, traceability must allow the identification of the supplier of the raw material used to manufacture that product. Likewise, the flour manufacturer must be able to identify the customer to whom he sold the non-compliant flour product, in order to be able to withdraw it from the market. While ensuring the health and hygiene safety of the food, in some cases it could be objectively difficult to ensure that the traceability system reaches extremely high — 16 levels of detail. Some difficulties could be due to the complexity of the production or transformation processes, the nature of the raw material, the capacity of the collection silos, the need to mix different origins and so on. In a single processing mixture, the mill could in fact be forced to use supply batches of raw materials even from different origins, for which it is not always possible to store in dedicated silos.

In such cases, having to trace the specific batch of raw material in the manufacture of a non-compliant product, the application of the traceability system makes it possible to precisely identify the flow of origin and therefore the series of names of suppliers among whom the responsible party can be found, even if it does not allow direct tracing to the sole supplier of the batch of material that caused the non-conformity of the finished product. * Italmopa: Italmopa - Industrial Association of Millers of Italy - is the exclusive trade association that represents the milling industry in Italy. It is divided into the two sectors of the grinding of common wheat and durum wheat.


M O D E R N

F LO U R S


Slices// Slices

BY CATERINA VIANELLO

Ancient grains, 18

a panorama of the Italian varieties


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GRAINS

he name refers to a cultivation made before the green revolution, which dates back to the second half of the twentieth century and which had as its objective the selections of grains that would meet the needs of the food industry, meaning strong flours, faster processing times and high yields. They are ancient grains, which look to the recovery of ancient varieties of wheat, identifiers of a territory with unique organoleptic characteristics. There are many reasons why consumers and, even more so, farmers, choose them today: a lower gluten content than "modern" ones, an element that makes them more digestible; less refining thanks to stone grinding, which prefers slower and more delicate movements and low temperatures, and which allows to maintain the nutritional properties present in the grain to a greater extent. Ancient grains also play a crucial role in the protection of biodiversity, which also translates into cultural value and the highlighting of differences and, after a respectful processing of the land in which they are grown, put less stress on the environment. They enhance the artisanal and short supply chain, and protect the work of small producers. Lastly, regarding taste: compared to a uniformity typical of industrial grains, ancient grains are a sensory feast. Fragrant and colourful, they offer decidedly unique nuances of flavours and textures.

ANCIENT GRAINS

If einkorn spelled represents today the best known of the ancient grains, there are many other varieties to be known. KHORASAN

Known in the news for a clever marketing operation to which it was subjected and which led it to be identified with the commercial name of Kamut (with which we refer to the khorasan grown in Canada according to very specific methodologies which, as proven in a recent investigation by the Italian investigative programme Report, make abundant use of pesticides and herbicides), khorasan is a grain originating in Iran and cultivated by farmers since the Middle Ages. Its scientific name is Triticum 19 — Turanicum and it seems to be one of the very few species not to have undergone hybridization. The plant has a very tall stem and the kernels are larger than traditional wheat. The flour obtained from the grinding is amber and fragrant, with an aroma that resembles that of hazelnut. SARAGOLLA It is a variety that belongs to the triticum turanicum family and has characteristics similar to khorasan, from a nutritional and organoleptic point of view. Introduced in central Italy by Balkan populations of Middle Eastern origin in 400 AD, it is currently grown mainly between Lucania, Sannio and Abruzzo. The flour obtained from the grinding has an intense yellow colour (the name saragolla derives from the ancient Bulgarian in which it meant yellow grain) and is very nutritious. In decline since the end of


Slices// Slices

BY CATERINA VIANELLO

SENATORE CAPPELLI the 1700s, when the population growth and colonial campaigns required more productive grains, it has resumed being cultivated thanks to the will of individual farmers. GENTIL ROSSO

Born in Tuscany in the mid-1800s and then spread from there to Emilia Romagna and Veneto, even older than Senatore Cappelli, it was for a long time one of the most cultivated ancient soft grains in Italy. It has high spikes and a yellow tending to red colour, a characteristic from which it takes its name and which gives a dark colour to the bread, — 20 pizza and focaccia produced. It has a fine and very recognisable flavour, given by the presence of high levels of vanillin in the grain. ORIGINAL RIETI A soft wheat originating from the Reatina plain of Lazio, it was very popular in Italy between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It was the basis of the hybridisation experiments of the famous agronomist Nazareno Strampelli, who created Senatore Cappelli right from a cross of the Rieti.

Surely the best known in Italy, it owes its creation to Nazareno Strampelli who crossed the Original Rieti with the typical durum wheat of Tunisia, the Jenah Rhetifah. It owes its success to its versatility, which for a long time made it the most widely grown ancient wheat in our country: between the 1920s and 1960s, more than half of the Italian territory was used for cultivation by Senatore Cappelli. The name is a tribute to Senator Raffaele Cappelli, who was responsible for the Italian agricultural revolution after the unification. Rustic and grown mainly in the regions of Southern Italy (Basilicata, Calabria, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily), it is considered an ancient grain because the selection took place before modern technologies and industrialisation in the agro-food field. It has high spikes, remarkable resistance and high nutritional properties. TIMILIA Also called Tumminia, it is typical of Sicily. Traces of it can be found in ancient Greece, about 2500 years ago; in Roman times it was one of the varieties that supplanted spelled. Characterised by yellow ears and black beard, it is fast to sow and the bakery products derived from it are easy to digest. It has a sweet taste and the flour has a good amount of colour. Known for the production of the famous black bread of Castelvetrano, it is also used for the production of craft beer. A central role in the resumption of its cultivation was played by Sicilian farmers in the area of the southern Salso Imera river.


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ANCIENT GRAINS

PERCIASACCHI In Sicilian dialect, perciasacchi means sack perforator, a nickname given to this type of ancient grain due to the pointed top of the grain. Similar to Khorasan, it is grown in Sicily: resistant to drought, it has a yellow coloured flour, ideal for baking. The flavour, recognisable both for the pasta and for the bread made from it, has a flavour that recalls Mediterranean aromatic herbs. RUSSELLO A variety of Sicilian durum wheat (grown in the arid soils of the hinterland and in the provinces of Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Palermo, Ragusa and Trapani), it owes its name to the golden-red colour of the tall and fragile ears. Together with Tumminia, it is the oldest wheat on the island. Less productive than other grains, it is very digestible, appreciated for bread making, requires little water for its dough and is well suited to the production of pasta.

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SOLINA A variety of soft wheat recognised as a Traditional Agri-food Product (PAT) of Abruzzo, from historical sources it seems that it was cultivated in the Abruzzo Apennines as early as the 16th century, where it was the basis of peasant nutrition. It is a grain with low yields, but the organoleptic quality and high resistance to bad weather and cold temperatures make it a grain of great value, particularly ideal for organic farming. Solina flour is delicate and soft to the touch, with a light colour and a very particular mountain scent. It lends itself very well to artisanal working and the production of homemade bread.


Slices// Slices

BY CATERINA VIANELLO

VERNA

A soft wheat originating from Tuscany, it owes its name to the homonymous mountain in Casentino, where it was cultivated in the past by the friars. Patented in 1953 by Marino Gasparini, then director of the Institute of Agronomy of the University of Florence, it was born from the cross between East Mottin 72 '' wheat and Mont Calme, with the aim of avoiding the abandonment of cultivation in mountain areas by farmers. It has a semi-long grain, with a colour tending to red and with a gluten content lower than the average of the current cultivars, and therefore particularly suitable for — 22 those who are intolerant.

RISCIOLA A soft wheat grown in Molise, Campania and Basilicata from 1500 until the nineteenth century, is now included in the list of Traditional Agro-Food Products (PAT) of Campania. Small, blond and reddish - as described Luigi Granata in "Rustic Economy for the Kingdom of Naples in 1835". Legend has it that it was used by the chef Raffaele Esposito to prepare pizza in honour of Queen Margherita of Savoy, the famous and future Margherita Pizza. In 1890, a decree of the Ministry of Agriculture placed it among the best grains in Italy

MAJORCA A soft wheat cultivated for centuries in Puglia, it has a characteristic white grain, from which a soft flour with a low gluten content is produced. It is particularly suitable for the preparation of desserts, so much so that it is believed that, in addition to cakes and biscuits, also wafers and especially the Sicilian cannoli themselves were born using Majorca flour. BIDÌ (OR MARGHERITO) Among the ancestors of Senatore Cappelli, it is originally from Tunisia and was imported to Sicily by prof. Giuseppe Vincenzo Tucci. It reaches a greater height than that of common wheat and has, like many other ancient grains mentioned above, a low gluten index. The resulting flour has a faint hint of wild herbs and is mainly used for making focaccia and pizzas.


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ANCIENT GRAINS

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RECIPES

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Friedrick Schmuk PIANO B SYRACUSE (SICILY)

24

In the first 2-3 years from the opening of the restaurant I took care of the reception and management of the activity, but at the same time I continued my path of in-depth study and knowledge in the world of leavened products, which lasted until 2013. In that period, I entered into contact with a training school that most certainly represented the turning point of my path, because my passion for leavened products soared and since then it has grown every day without ever waning.

FRIEDRICK SCHMUK

I

In the same year my pizza chef decided to leave Piano B and from that moment I entered the laboratory to never leave it again: a real misfortune (or luck, who knows!).

"My restaurant is located in a central area of the ​​ city of Siracusa, a stone's throw from the island of Ortigia, the historic center. We are in an early 1900s building with high ceilings and large vaults; we wanted the beating heart of the pizzeria with its counter, oven and leavening dough to be clearly visible as soon as you enter."


E

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PRE-DOUGH: type 1 flour water

Pan pizza

GRAINS

200 gr (0,44 lb / 7 oz)

88 g (0,2 lb / 3 oz)

fresh yeast

2g (0,004 lb / 0,07 oz)

DOUGH Then mix all the pre-dough with: wholemeal flour type 1 flour water

400 g (14.1 oz)

700 ml (23.7 US fl oz/ 24.6 UK fl oz)

fresh yeast salt

600 g (21.2 oz)

1 g (0.035 oz)

18 g (0.63 oz)

extra virgin olive oil

P

20 g (0.7 oz) TOPPING: 8 spinach leaves pumpkin

200 g (7 oz)

a clove of onion milk

200 g (7 oz)

Ragusano cheese 100 g (3.5 oz) black pepper nuts

RECIPE WITH MOZZARELLA, SPINACH, PUMPKIN, RAGUSANO FONDUE AND WALNUTS Method Procedure: Prepare the pre-dough by dissolving the yeast in the water and knead until you get a raw dough. Leave to ferment at 18/16°C (64.4-60.8°F) for about 14/15 hours. Incorporate the pre-dough with all the flour, 500 ml (16.9 US fl oz / 17.6 UK fl oz) of water and the yeast. Knead until the dough has a smooth and elastic consistency, then add the salt and the remaining water, a little at a time. Finally add the oil. The finished dough must have a temperature of about 26°C (79°F) Let it rest for about an hour, after which make the 245 g (8.7 oz) loaves, let them rest for 2 hours and spread in a circular pan where they will rise for another 2 hours. Bake at 280 ° C (536°F) for pre-cooking. Meanwhile, prepare the topping: Sauté the washed spinach leaves in a pan, adding just a drop of extra virgin olive oil to soften them slightly. Cook the pumpkin in a pan with the onion and a drop of water. Prepare the ragusano fondue by melting the cheese in the milk in a bain-marie. Serve: Season the pizza base with a little fiordilatte mozzarella and bake at 270 °C (518°F). Once the mozzarella has melted, cut the pizza into 8 wedges and season each individual wedge with a spinach leaf, pumpkin, fondue and finish with a grind of black pepper and chopped walnuts.

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Slices// Slices

BY DAVID MANDOLIN

About grains

26

O

urs is a world that lives happily with “hands-in-the-dough”: a beautiful profession that literally feeds on the fruits of the earth. To get to know a little more about the raw material that is grown and that ends up on our tables, we met with the Senior Agronomist of Azienda Stuard Dr. Cristina Piazza and Dr. Mia Marchini for an interview.

The Experimental Agricultural Company Stuard s.c.r.l. (www.stuard.it) carries out its activities in San Pancrazio (in the province of Parma) on 20 hectares, mostly cultivated organically. It produces and preserves over 100 varieties of ancient cereals and as many ancient tomatoes, chilli peppers, pumpkins, also housing a small activity of breeding and reproduction of native poultry set up thanks to local biodiversity recovery projects. It has its origins from a legacy of Maria Luigia of Austria, wife of Napoleon and Duchess of Parma and Piacenza, who allocated a fund of the same

name to improve knowledge and dissemination in agriculture. The experimental company has been operating since 1983 and, thanks to its agronomists coordinated by the director Roberto Reggiani, develops research and experimentation projects in the agricultural, agro-industrial and agri-environmental sectors in the regional, national and EU public and private sectors. An important part of the activity is aimed at teaching at pre-school, school and university, as well as to adults. LET'S START WITH THE BASICS. WHAT ARE AUTUMN-WINTER CEREALS? Autumn-winter cereals are annual herbaceous plants belonging to the Graminaceae (or Poaceae) family whose fruits / seeds (kernels, commonly "grains") are


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gathered in spikes and are characterised by a phenological cycle that begins in autumn and ends in summer of the following year, since the plant needs a variable period of low temperatures to bear fruit. In the Po Valley, sowing is usually done from mid-October to mid-November. Where winters are more rigid or for varieties with less cold requirements, sowing can also be done in January-February. The most cultivated winter cereals in Italy are soft and durum wheat and barley; less common are emmer spelled, spelled and einkorn spelled; rye, oats, turgid wheat and turanic or Khorasan wheat. Einkorn spelled is probably the first cereal cultivated by man (about 12,000 years ago), followed by barley (cultivated by Greeks and Etruscans) and then by dicocco (the wheat of the ancient Romans) and spelled. Soft and durum wheat, currently the most commonly used autumn-winter cereals for human consumption, are much more recently introduced. Spelled and barley are characterised by

ABOUT GRAINS, PODERE STUARD

27 — having "dressed" kernels that, when harvested, are still covered with glumes, a sort of small flakes placed to protect the flower. In order to be consumed by man, the glumes must be eliminated because they are indigestible. To eliminate them, a mechanical abrasion process called decortication is currently used. Soft and durum, turanic and turgid wheat, on the other hand, are characterised by having a "naked" kernel, which easily loses its glumes at the time of harvest. All autumn-winter cereals are characterised by the ability to emit secondary stems that start from the base of the main stem, the so-called “tillering”. AMONG THESE, WHICH ONES DO YOU CULTIVATE IN YOUR EXPERIMENTAL FACILITY AND WHY? In the company, mostly soft and durum wheat of "historical" pre-World War II


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varieties are grown organically, such as the soft Autonomia B, Terminillo and Gentilrosso and the durum Senatore Cappelli, which are transformed into flour and semolina, respectively. In turn, flour and semolina are partly sold as is and partly transformed into bread and pasta. These soft wheats, once widespread in our areas, have been selected from our field catalogue during in-depth experiments, which also included evaluations on processed products as well as agronomic ones, because the bread made with these flours was the "best" in several panel tests. The durum Senatore Cappelli has also been grown on the farm for about twenty years, even if the cultivation of durum wheat until a few decades ago was widespread mostly in the southern — 28 regions: in those years the cultivation of this variety had almost disappeared, despite its characteristics being more than moderate from a qualitative point of view, and we wanted to preserve it. An important company activity is the recovery of old cereal varieties, many of which were grown in Parma and in

Dr. Mia Marchini

the Emilia-Romagna area. The field catalogue of old cereal varieties was born in 1994 and currently includes 58 varieties of soft wheat, 8 of durum wheat, 6 of coffee barley (Triticum aestivum L .; Triticum turgidum var.durum Desf .; Hordeum vulgare L.), about ten of spelled, other species belonging to the genus Triticum and some populations of common wheat. Many of the varieties in the collection, such as Mentana and Cappelli, were selected by the geneticist Nazareno Strampelli and were the basis for achieving cereal self-sufficiency in our country before the Second World War. The old varieties, always organically grown, have been experimented on, with tests to evaluate their productivity, sensitivity to diseases and mycotoxin content, projects in collaboration with the University of Parma. In collaboration with the University of Bologna, some interesting tests were also carried out to try to better define the possible anti-inflammatory capacity of their grain compared to the more modern varieties. All these varieties adapt very well to organic farming because, being very tall, they do not allow the development of weeds and they mustn’t be fertilised in order not to entice them. In general, all ancient / historical varieties in fertile environments produce much less than modern varieties, while in poorly fertile environments such as mountain areas or in which less inputs are used (fertilizers, weeding, pesticides) they have yields similar to the newer varieties. Depending on the experimental needs, we also cultivate all the other species of cereals, on small surfaces of a few square meters each, both of the new varieties released by seed companies, and of ancient or no longer commercialised varieties.


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WHAT KIND OF LAND DO THEY REQUIRE FOR CULTIVATION?

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In general, autumn - winter cereals adapt to all types of soil, but spelled and barley develop better in poor soils, even shallow and stony ones, while soft and durum wheat require more fertile soils. Among these, modern varieties require abundant supplies of nutrients to be able to develop their production maximum capacities, while historical varieties, which have very limited production possibilities, if fertilized, generally give lower yields because they are enticed. DOES LAND ROTATION TAKE PLACE IN THIS TYPE OF CROP? IF SO, WITH WHAT AND WHY? The alternation between crops of different species is one of the foundations of agronomy! Sometimes in conventional farms it is not respected, but the result is, sooner or later, a decrease in yields and a permanent impoverishment of the soil. We usually sow peas or field beans before cereals. We then grow two years of different vegetables.

BY DAVID MANDOLIN

WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DO THESE CROPS HAVE? Pea and field bean are leguminous plants, which have the ability to use atmospheric nitrogen to synthesize the nitrogenous substances essential for the development of all plants, through complex mechanisms of symbiosis with the Rhizobi bacteria of the soil. The production of nitrogen compounds exceeding their needs remains in the soil available for subsequent crops: cereals are among the species that benefit the most. In turn, thanks to their very branched and fine roots which naturally break up the soil, and the fact that they usually do not allow the development of many spring / summer weeds, they are the ideal precession for horticultural crops which are instead cultivated above all in these times. WHAT IS MEANT BY INTEGRATED PRODUCTION AND ORGANIC PRODUCTION? Organic farming (regulated at European level) promotes agricultural production that respects the environmental balance and biodiversity and prohibits the use of GMOs, ionizing radiation, herbicides, fertilisers and synthetic pesticides; it also prohibits the use of hormones and limits the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry. This means that organic producers must adopt different approaches, always preventive, to maintain soil fertility and the health of animals and plants. In fact, for the vegetable sector, the technique is based on crop rotation, on the use of legumes and green manures for fertilisation, on the choice of varieties resistant to diseases and competitive against weed species and on all agronomic interventions aimed at


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obtaining these results (times of implantation, forecasting models, biological control, sexual confusion, mass capture). The use of pesticide products, of natural origin and included in a special list, is subject to actual need and the lack of the possibility of intervening otherwise. Integrated production is a production system aimed at minimising the use of synthetic chemicals (plant protection products, fertilizers and herbicides), but also the consumption of water and energy, without compromising the quality of the product and in the respect of the environment and human health. The companies that adhere to it must comply with the Integrated Production Regulations (DPI), a set of technical standards and operating methodologies (soil analysis, forecasting models for insects and diseases) applied in synergy, to rationalise and reduce the use of inputs in agriculture whether they are water, processing, fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides. In particular, chemicals with longer persistence in the environment are excluded from DPI. Therefore, in integrated farming, many of the legally available technical means are used, but with the foresight to appropriately limit the types, interventions and doses. DOES INTEGRATED MEAN CONVENTIONAL? Obviously not: in conventional agriculture you can apply all the agronomic techniques available and use all the technical means legally authorised, as long as the methods and doses on the label of the products used are respected and the harvest does not show residues of chemical substances outside or above those required by law. It

ABOUT GRAINS, PODERE STUARD

is a type of agriculture that is currently becoming less frequent in Italy both for economic and productive reasons and thanks to a greater environmental awareness on the part of farmers. WHY HAVE HISTORIC CEREALS BEEN A BIT LOST OVER THE YEARS AND ARE NOW BEING REDISCOVERED / REEVALUATED?

After the fall of the Roman Empire and until the mid-eighteenth century, there was a real loss of skills in the field of agronomic cultivation techniques which, combined with frequent wars, prevented for a long time a food production sufficient to sustain the population. Before the discovery of the New World and the 31 — introduction of corn, less demanding autumn-winter cereals in terms of fertility and technique spread (barley, spelled, rye, turanics), as they were taller, more competitive with other species of wheat or weeds, nutritional demands low and closely tied to the cultivation environment. The maintenance / selection of the varieties was done directly by the farmer who kept part of the harvest for the next sowing. From the late 1800s-early 1900s, an intense work of improving local varieties began, which doubled their yield in a few years (historical varieties), but without altering their cultivation technique much. Only from the end of World War II did what is commonly called "modern" and intensive agriculture take hold, characterised by a strong adaptation of crops to mechanisation, much higher productivity, however linked to the use of fertilisers, weeding etc. The seed of the varieties used must be homogeneous and produced in quantity and therefore its production could not remain the responsibility of the individual farm-


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BY DAVID MANDOLIN

er. These varieties have reduced height, greater response to chemical products, greater resistance to diseases, less lodging, high bread and pasta making technological qualities suitable for industrial processing. In recent years, however, there has been a progressive rediscovery of historical and ancient varieties both due to a growing consumer interest in traditional food products, a healthy lifestyle, organic farming and attention to the environment and because, as said, these varieties are well suited to organic techniques and allow organic farmers to enhance their production directly or in small supply chains.

DOES THIS TYPE OF CEREAL HAVE AN ADDED VALUE FROM THE ORGANOLEPTIC, NUTRITIONAL AND TRANSFOR— 32 MATION POINT OF VIEW BY THE PROFESSIONAL? DO THEY REQUIRE DIFFERENT TREATMENTS (FROM CULTIVATION DOWN)? Being commonly grown organically, ancient grains are perceived as more natural, with better health benefits and dietary characteristics than modern grains. Some consumers recognise that they have fewer digestive problems after consuming ancient grains and this is attributed to a more digestible gluten. Furthermore, the historical or ancient varieties of wheat generally have a higher content of proteins, vitamins (mainly of group B), minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, zinc, selenium, carotenoids. As regards any direct health effects, the studies carried out still concern a number of cases that is too limited to give certain answers. From a technological point of view, spelled and ancient wheat normally have a good protein content, however the clas-

sic parameters of technological quality (values ​​of W, P / L and gluten) would not suggest their use in bread making. For their use by industry, for which the achievement of quality standards is essential to guarantee the quality of the finished product given the greater rigidity of the process, it is possible to use blends with modern grain flours specifically designed to satisfy the technological objectives. On the contrary, the use of (more flexible) methods of the artisan baker such as pre-dough, sourdough, long fermentation, allows to obtain good quality products from a technological and sensorial point of view in compliance with local traditions even with flour 100% from ancient wheat. Especially for bread, with the same processing and visual result, the use of flours of different varieties gives rise to products with different flavours.



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RECIPES

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Marino Tanfoglio TANFOGLIO BAKERIES IN MANTUA

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"My basic philosophy - and it was a revolution for Mantua (the city in which he works, in Northern Italy Ed.) - was characterised by the return to the old leavening traditions which, when I opened in 2003, had substantially disappeared, or almost. When we started we literally eliminated all chemistry and technology from bakery: we still produce as we did 150 years ago, with the laboratory starting to produce - for example - from Friday afternoon to Saturday. All leavening at room temperature, without improvers, cold technology, leavening cells that push the product. The other important aspect of my way of making bread is territoriality: we work with a local milling company and with Mantograno, 100% low-refined flour sown, cultivated and ground in Mantua. My goal was to get people back to eating bread! The first customers thus began to act as involuntary "ambassadors" because the bread made in this way did not give bloating, acidity and other unpleasant effects: wholemeal or low-refined flours and in no case any chemical additives. "

Pizza

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“In my bakeries it is possible to find essentially 3 types of pizza: the classic one by the slice made by the baker, soft, with natural leavening at 24 hours and also good cold, which does not" age ". The pizzas on the shovel, with 110% of hydration, unseasoned and ready to be regenerated in the bakery (and in this case the customer can choose some delicious combinations) or at home. I was born as a baker but now I feel more like a "leavener"; I was born with bread and I absolutely do not want to forget it. In too many bakeries, bread is just rhetoric, and it's just a mirror to then make money with a whole other series of products. On the other hand, I truly believe in bread and it is our core business, incredibly given the times. At the same time, I see that everything I have managed to build so far is due to my particular method and to the attention to leavening, which then also reverberates on the panettone and pizza."


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GRAINS

Beer Cloud (NUVOLA DI BIRRA)

DOUGH: 350w type 1 flour

1 kg (2,2 lb / 35.27 oz)

brewer's yeast

5 gr (0,01 lb / 0.18 oz)

unfiltered beer 35.2 UK fl oz)

1 l (2.2 lb / 33.8 US fl oz /

Method First procedure: pour the beer and dissolve the 5 g (0.18 oz) of yeast well in it, add the flour and mix well until there are no more lumps. LEAVE TO STAND FOR 6 HOURS.

Second procedure: put the dough in the mixer, add the 500 g (17.64 oz) of 280 w type 1 flour, 30 g (1 oz) of salt and 10g (0.35 oz) of malt, work at medium-low speed for 5/6 minutes, then bring to medium-high speed, adding one drop at a time 300-350 ml (10.14-11.8 US fl oz / 10.55-12.32 UK fl oz) of unfiltered dark beer. Wait for the dough to be velvety and very smooth, add a drizzle of oil and let it rest in a well oiled bowl. Cover and wait for the dough to double. When the dough has doubled, turn it onto previously floured counter, break the dough into balls of 700 g (24.7 oz), shape into 3 cm (1.2 inch) high rectangles; place it on a board and let it rest for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then, bake in a deck oven at 260°C / 500°F for 12/15 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it cool. When the product is cold, we season to taste with mozzarella, cold cuts, sauces and cheeses. Before being consumed, the product must be regenerated in the oven for 5 minutes at 220°C / 428°F (any type of oven, even ventilated).

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BY DAVID MANDOLIN

The importance of scientific research in crops. In order to photograph the evolution of wheat cultivation in Italy in recent decades - a faithful mirror of the changes in consumption and eating habits of catering professionals - and to try to get some insight into future developments, we contacted the company Open Fields, specialised among other activities, in applying technology to agricultural production. We talk about it with Dr. Silvia Folloni (picture on the left), the company's project manager and food technologist.


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Open Fields is an Italian SME that has been operating since 2010 in technology transfer, that is to say in the identification of technologies useful for monitoring, managing and optimising production processes in the agri-food sector, with a strong focus on environmental sustainability themes. The technical-scientific skills, which allow his team to quickly master new technologies, identifying their potential and encouraging their adoption by companies, supply chains and communities, are combined with skills in data analysis and in the economic feasibility study of projects, essential for promoting their widespread and motivated adoption.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

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HOW HAVE WHEAT CROPS AND RELATED PROCESSING TECHNIQUES EVOLVED OVER THE DECADES IN ITALY? In recent decades, wheat crops in Italy have been characterised by the use of varieties, both soft and durum wheat, selected according to their adaptation to the needs of the secondary processing industry. On the flour front, there has been a progressive specialisation by type of finished product, for example, flours for seasonal products have high tenacity

while those used for biscuits contain very extensible gluten. On the semolina front, the aim was to increase the protein level in the grain and in the semolina, because it is directly related to the cooking resistance of the pasta. Even the cultivation techniques have gone in the direction of guaranteeing good protein levels in the grain, acting both on the varietal selection and on the nitrogen fertilisation.


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To guarantee the maintenance of the phytosanitary state of health and protect the crops, we have acted by selecting varieties which are tolerant or resistant to the main plant diseases and favouring the adoption of conservation technologies less and less based on the use of chemical products and more and more based on use of physical means of conservation such as modified atmosphere with carbon dioxide and refrigeration of grain. Recently, Digital Decision Support Systems (DSS) are increasingly used for the cultivation of — 40 wheat. These systems provide informed advice to farmers - indicating, for example, if and when to intervene with a specific treatment - based on the continuous detection of the physiological states of the plant in relation to the pedoclimatic parameters. To promote the biodiversity of the agro-ecosystem (agro-biodiversity), a central element of theDr. European Green Mia Marchini Deal, the strategies implemented by the operators of the Italian wheat supply chain are varied. Agro-ecological practices such as crop rotation, associations between multiple species such as wheat and legumes, and conservation agriculture techniques that aim to minimise the tillage of the land to preserve its structure, allow for an increase in agro-biodiversity. Specifically for the cultivation of wheat, the cultivation of populations is spreading in marginal areas, that is the cultiva-

BY DAVID MANDOLIN


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tion on the same plot of a very high number of plants of the same species characterised by high genetic variability and deriving from crosses; these are defined as "heterogeneous material of wheat" in the New Regulation of the Organic Reg. 2018/848

42 AN EVOLUTION IN PROCESSING BY MILLING COMPANIES CAN BE SEEN, WITH INCREASINGLY ADVANCED TECHNIQUES (AND AT THE SAME TIME THAT SEEM TO INTEGRATE WITH ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE), TO PRESERVE THE NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES OF WHEAT. WHICH DIRECTION IS THE INDUSTRY GOING AND CONSEQUENTLY THE FLOURS THAT PROFESSIONALS WILL FIND ON THE MARKET? At the level of the mills, the efficiency of the grain cleaning section has increased considerably thanks to the adoption of increasingly accurate optical sorters capable of eliminating almost all grain defects (foreign seeds, blackened seeds etc ...). At the same time, analytical techniques for the detection of contaminants have also improved, lowering their detectable levels. In particular, decortication technology

BY DAVID MANDOLIN

has been extensively implemented on durum wheat mills, which has made it possible to improve the mill's production capacity, yields and product food safety, as it allows the detachment of the bran from the endosperm. The general trend is towards an increasingly pushed digitisation of the mill and towards the detailed control of production parameters. The mills are also gearing up to respond to the European challenges of the Green Deal and the “Farm to Fork” strategy, towards increasingly sustainable and balanced production from the point of view of carbon dioxide emissions (carbon neutrality). In parallel, stone mills are spreading, which manage small quantities of grain, allowing the enhancement of hilly and mountain areas and small biological productions. In recent decades, the supply of wholemeal products or products rich in dietary fibre has exploded on the shelves, together with a greater use of minor species such as lesser spelled (einkorn), greater spelled (spelled) and medium spelled (dicocco), up to to legumes, in line with industrial uses. At the same time, specialised flours are also starting to appear on the shelves of retailers, for example based on the strength of gluten. Professionals will have at their disposal flours that are increasingly controlled from a technological and food safety point of view and increasingly sustainable.


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SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

WE NOTE A CONCRETE ATTEMPT TO RECOVER ANCIENT AND HISTORICAL GRAINS. HOW BROAD IS THIS TREND? IT'S REAL? IN WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL CROPS?

The attempt to recover historical grains is real and mainly affects the less fertile marginal areas and the small stone mills. Some industrial mills have also built historic grain chains. Varieties such as the durum grains Cappelli, Timilia, the soft grains Ardito, Virgilio, the Grano del Miracolo, the Turanic wheat, Le Saragolle, are grown, especially organically, in the high hills or in the mountains, guaranteeing the farmer a value superior to conventional grains. 43 — Compared to the total cultivated areas, the percentage cultivated with these grains does not exceed 1% but it is increasing. Do organically grown grains have the same technological quality levels as non-organic ones? What do they possibly differ in? On the national territory, in organically grown grains the proteins are on average lower and this can impact on the quality of some products such as pasta. Furthermore, for the same variety, there is often a lower technological quality of gluten. It is therefore very important to adapt the transformation process and adopt virtuous agronomic techniques, aimed at improving the qualitative characteristics of the grain, such as the inclusion of crop rotations in which the grain follows a species capable of enriching the soil with elements of fertility (such as legumes).


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RECIPES

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ROSARIO GIANNATTASIO

Rosario Giannattasio 44

ACQUA E FARINA

The passion for the product and the desire to jump in at the deep end, pushed Rosario to make the big leap: to run a restaurant and propose a personal gastronomic identity.

Young, from Campania, an entrepreneur of the Palladian city, Rosario Giannattasio interprets the Neapolitan pizza in Vicenza: after moving from Salerno at the age of 14 and after a fair period of apprenticeship he opened Acqua e Farina, a Neapolitan pizzeria with about fifty seats which is always crowded with customers.

"At 23 I opened my first take-away pizzeria, it was December 2010. In 2015, Acqua e Farina was born, first as a pan and gourmet pizzeria and then later evolved and transformed into a Neapolitan pizzeria."

“My profession - says Rosario - was born from passion and for fun, because as a child with my friends (a family of pizza chefs from Salerno) we played acrobatic pizza games, I was about 10 years old at the time. At the age of 14 I moved from Salerno to Vicenza with my family, and I started working in a pizzeria as a waiter both on weekends and during the week, when I helped the pizza chef in order to learn."

“First of all, it must be said that we are lucky enough to work with people of all ages, so I didn’t set myself an initial customer target. My pizza is based on a dough made with only type 1 flours with a 24 hour pre-ferment, for a final dough that reaches 85 percent hydration at 36 hours: this makes the dough become tasty, fragrant, highly digestible and that melts in the mouth. For toppings, in addition to making classic pizzas of the Italian gastronomic tradition, we offer pizzas with new flavours and cutting-edge cooking techniques, such as smoking, fermentation, low-temperature cooking and marinades."

What pizza do you offer to your customers?


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DOUGH WITH 70% HYDRATION: type 1 flour with Wheat Germ 1 kg (2,2 lb / 35.27 oz) cold water (70%) 700 ml (23.7 US fl oz/ 24.6 UK fl oz) salt (2.5%)

25 g (0.88 oz)

fresh yeast (0.2%)

Pizza with pumpkin cream

2 g (0.07 oz)

Method Preparation of the direct dough with 70% hydration: Recipe for dough with percentages that multiply according to the amount of dough you want to obtain. The important thing is always to start with the flour. Put all the flour in the mixer. Dissolve the yeast in 58% (580 ml / 19.6 US fl oz / 20.4 UK fl oz) of water and add to the mixer. Run for 3-4 minutes at first speed. Add the water flush, using the second speed, up to 70%.

PIZZA CON CREMA DI ZUCCA

The second speed should close the dough in 8 minutes. 4 minutes before the dough is ready, add the salt. When it’s ready, put all the mass in a container for 12-24 hours, according to your needs, at a controlled temperature of 4°C / 39.2°F. Then form the loaves of 250 g (8.8. oz) and leave to rise at room temperature for 3-4 hours before being rolled out and baked in an oven between 410 and 450°C (770 – 842 °F). For the topping: Pumpkin cream (made with pieces of fresh pumpkin boiled with cloves). Flavour the boiled and blended pumpkin with nutmeg, salt, extra virgin olive oil and rosemary oil, add more rosemary and cook at low temperature (max 65°C / 149°F). Turn off the heat and leave to marinate for 30 min. Onion in beer: put oil and a little water in a pan when hot, let the thinly cut red onion dry and blend with the lager beer. Finish cooking the onion. Fill with pumpkin cream and fiordilatte, bake and then add the rolled pancetta, the carpaccio of fresh mushrooms, onion, paprika, parsley, baby spinach, toasted hazelnuts and "sprigs" of pumpkin cream.

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BY DR. MARISA CAMMARANO, NUTRITIONIST BIOLOGIST

Let's (stone) mill the flour... The grain of wheat is composed of 14% of bran, rich in vitamins, minerals and phytic acid, an internal part (85%) rich in carbohydrates, aleurone proteins and small quantities of B vitamins and the germ of wheat which constitutes the future sprout that will give rise to a new plant. It is rich in polyunsaturated fats, B and E vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds and antioxidants. (equal to 1-2% of the grain). Eating healthily is a habit that begins with simple things, for example, choosing less refined flours that are closer to tradition. Stone ground flour is the result of the milling of cereals as in the past: the grains are crushed between two large stones and this crushing allows to obtain rich, tasty and unique-tasting flours.


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Almost as old as the history of humanity, stone grinding is carried out with two large overlapping wheels, which have special characteristics for hardness, porosity and homogeneity. Stone ground flours are therefore an excellent alternative to the common use of type 00 flour or type 0 flour. They are rich in nutritional properties and more suitable for the human body. Stone processing takes place very slowly; in fact, the stone mills produce about 2 quintals of flour per hour compared to the many tons of a classic industrial mill. The millstones have slower rotation times, thus avoiding overheating of the flour (80-100 rpm against 300-350 for the cylinders). The process also takes place at lower temperatures, because the slow rotation does not generate sudden increases in heat, avoiding losing the precious thermolabile trace elements of the grain. During this type of grinding, the

STONE MILL

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… the recovery of an ancient technique for a taste aimed at the future!


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48 deep layers of the grain are not discarded, but open and impregnate the flour with wheat germ oil: the most precious parts of the grain are preserved and nourish that full and authentic flavour of the bread of once upon a time, obtaining darker flours tending to beige, never white like type 0 or type 00 flours. Taste and aroma are more intense, closer to the flavour of the harvested grain, to tradition, to the earth. An aroma that is tasted, savoured, and gives us sensations of ancestral goodness. Due to its property of maintaining the nutrients and the genuineness of the cereal, this method is far more used for the milling of ancient grains and grains from organic farming. Once ground, the flour is subjected to a process called sifting, where it is gradually sieved through the use of sieves with different meshes, called tumbling. Based on the needs of the mill, the order of the sieves will be

BY DR. MARISA CAMMARANO, NUTRITIONIST BIOLOGIST

changed from which real type 1, type 2 and wholemeal flours will be obtained. When you read the phrase "stone-ground flours" many consumers imagine an old mill like the one in a well-known commercial where a famous actor moves between sacks of flour and biscuits. It is not so. Contrary to what the advertisement suggests, the mill with vertical wheels can only grind olives, in fact, horizontal wheels have always been used to produce flour. The advantage of stone mills is that the flour is "truly wholemeal" because whole grains are ground and in this way the germ and the external coating (bran) blend with the flour, obtaining a superior flavour, aroma and nutritional properties than to traditional grinding with cylinders. This flour is rich in fibre, minerals, B vitamins, tocopherols (vitamin E), proteins and fats, both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated, present in the bran and in the germ. Despite the best nutritional characteristics, however, there is a lower shelf life, due to the presence of the fatty acids of the germ, and a certain resistance to leavening due to the presence of bran if not properly processed. The "conventional" grinding with cylinders alternating with sieves that crush the grain and transform it into ever finer and more impalpable flour is done starting from the "naked" grains, that is, previously peeled from the outermost part. For this reason, wholemeal flour obtained from traditional cylinder systems can only be formed by mixing the bran and, possibly, the germ with the white flour. Generally, for the wholesomeness and conservation of the product, the germ is toasted and added to the flour itself. This occurs in cylinder grinding, since the germ, progressively peeling away, remains exposed to the air in larger surfaces and the possibility of rancidity becomes greater than with other types of grinding. This practice allows to obtain a durable product, which does not go rancid (any product, from coffee, to hazel-


jacleroi | parma IT

WE CARE FOR YOUR CREATIONS

49 — PIZZA LINE SOFT WHEAT FLOUR “00” The are 2 fundamental ingredients to achieve an excellent pizza: technical experience and high quality raw materials. Since 1934, Molino Grassi has been selecting only the best wheat to offer you a range of flour and semolina with excellent characteristics, a selection specifically created to transfer the values of Made in Italy into high quality and authentic products. Our goal is to provide every professional baker and “pizzaiolo”, high quality flour that is an inspiration for every preparation, from the most classic to the most innovative. The Professional Pizza line is composed of 6 products of 00 flour, which all feature various dough proofing time: Fast H6, Speedy H10, Midi H12, Extramidi H16, Slow H24 and Bio (organic).

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BY DR. MARISA CAMMARANO, NUTRITIONIST BIOLOGIST

nuts, to cereals, after roasting, retains organoleptic properties and taste longer than the fresh product that faces a natural deterioration where humidity tends to make it rancid). Another element to consider is that the cylinder mills, turning at a higher speed than the stone ones, overheat the flour, reducing even more some nutritional properties. With stone mills, however, not only 100% wholemeal flour is produced. With progressive refining processes it is possible to obtain '2', '1' and also '0' type flour. However, with stone milling it is not possible to produce the very fine '00' type flour, consisting largely of starch. This is because it is not possible to completely separate the starch from the germ and bran, which are densely mixed precisely due to the type of grinding used. Stone milling is therefore not suitable for all needs, especially for industrial ones, both because it produces flours with different characteristics from mills with cylinders, and for the smaller quantities of flour it produces. In recent years, the stone hulling process has also spread, that is the removal of the bran, using machines with abrasive stone grinding wheels capable of stripping the grains in a progressive and controlled manner. In the hulling phase carried out with the stone wheels, 6.5% to 7.0% of the external part of the wheat grains is removed, thus eliminating a large part of the bran through a progressive and controlled surface abrasive action, which allows to increase yield, to improve the cleanliness of the semolina and to increase production capacity. In this way, the health and hygiene aspect is also optimised. Stone grinding has the advantage of producing richer flour from a nutritional point of view, while hulling generates a "cleaner" flour, eliminating the


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outermost portion of the bran which, being in contact with the atmospheric elements, can accumulate chemical contaminants and mycotoxins to a greater extent. The wheat kernel is the most complete element in nature. It is composed of three parts: the outer shell, rich in bran, mineral salts and fibers which represents 14.5% of the grain and is formed by 7 superimposed layers which are very rich in especially insoluble, cellulose and lignin fiber. The endosperm which is the largest component occupying about 80%. Its primary components are proteins (most are gliadins and glutenins, which form gluten during kneading) and starch, consisting of amylose and amylopectin chains. The food value of wheat and the flours obtained from it derives precisely from the high starch content and low fat content, which make this cereal an excellent energy food. The lipid content of the endosperm is 1-1.5% of the total content of the wheat grain. Then there are tocopherols (vitamin E) and carotenoids, characterised by the proven antioxidant action and albumins and globulins in very small quantities. The third element, the wheat germ, is the most important, as a new seedling will originate from it. Rich in beneficial properties for our body, it is the smallest part of the caryopsis and represents 2-3% of the total. Since the grain is crushed and broken by the movement of the horizontal stone during stone grinding, the surface of the germ exposed to the air is less because it is not peeled, and this allows it to be kept in the flour without the need for roasting. The nutritional value of wheat germ is very high. It contains amino acids, mineral salts such as phosphorus, calcium, zinc, potassium and iron, polyunsaturated fatty acids, useful for protecting and strengthening the cell structure and final-

STONE MILL

ly the vitamins of group B and E, powerful natural antioxidants. The equivalent of the germ inside the grain is approximately 2% of the total grain and in the cylinder milling process, 0.2% / 0.3% of the total is normally extracted. In nutritional terms, the intake of germ can certainly have nutritional benefits if accompanied by a varied and complete diet in which attention is paid to the benefits of all products, not just some. In terms of product, however, we can say that bread and pizza made with flours containing a quantity of wheat germ can be tastier and more fragrant, with an unmistakable aroma and a more homogeneous browning due to the improvement from the Maillard reaction, in addition to the germ it gives characteris51 — tic and perceptible flavours and fragrances. And just to remember the qualities and the value of the millstone itself, here is what was told in the Middle Ages in Il Trecentonovelle by the Italian writer Franco Sacchetti: “

The most precious stone is the millstone of wheat; and if it could be tied and worn in a ring, every other stone would pass of goodness ". (Novella LXVII)


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BY DR. MARZIA FORGIONE, PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES

Soft wheat and durum wheat, the characteristics and destinations of use

52

The milling, pasta making and baking processes, thanks above all to new knowledge and technological innovations, make the difference in the quality of the products. However, the choice of raw materials remains fundamental, evaluated on the basis of multiple parameters. First of all, let's start with the difference between soft wheat and durum wheat. In fact, they are two distinct species, despite the morphological similarities of the two plants. Soft wheat (Triticum aestivum) has a grain (caryopsis) that breaks easily, from which the so-called "white flour" is obtained, refined to various degrees and used to produce leavened and baked products. The durum wheat grain (Triticum durum), on the other hand, has a glassy consistency and the semolina obtained from its milling has a coarse grain and a


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SOFT AND DURUM WHEAT

yellowish colour due to a greater presence of carotenoids. It is used above all for the production of dry pasta, while re-milled semolina is also used in bread making, especially in the regions of southern Italy. It is above all the quantity and quality of gluten they contain that determines the different uses of durum wheat and soft wheat and their relative varieties. Gluten is a protein complex, consisting mainly of gliadins and glutenins, which is formed when flour is mixed with water. Gliadin is very extensible, while glutenin is very elastic. The characteristics of gluten largely depend on genetic factors and partly on the conditions of cultivation. There are, in fact, notable differences among the single varieties, both of soft and durum wheat. In soft wheat flours intended for bread making, gluten must be abundant and with a balanced ratio between the two proteins. This allows to give rise to a mesh capable of retaining the starch, but above all the carbon dioxide that is formed during fermentation; in this way the doughs are softer and more malleable. To evaluate the technological quality of a flour or semolina, an instrument called Chopin's Alveograph is used which, by blowing air into the dough (in order to form a sort of bubble), graphically records the variations in its pressure, providing at the same time the measure of the force (W) and of the relationship between strength and extensibility (P / L).

It is above all on the basis of these two parameters that a soft wheat flour is placed in one of the different technological classes, which discriminate its destination of use (see table). To perform well in pasta making, durum wheat semolina must be rich in proteins (between 10.5% and 17%), with a tenacious and not very extensible gluten, which depends on a predominance of glutenins compared to gliadins. The strength must therefore be very low (with W values ranging ​​ between 190 and 220), while the P / L ratio must be high (1.1 - 3.0 compared to the ideal 0.55 of soft wheat flour). These parameters guarantee the production of a pasta which is resistant to cooking and not very sticky, because it strongly retains the starch and does not disperse it in the cooking water (which is not possible with soft wheat flour).

53 —


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BY DR. MARZIA FORGIONE, PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES

In order to preserve the tradition, the law n. 580 of 1967 imposed for over 30 years in Italy the obligation of the exclusive use of durum wheat semolina for the production of dry pasta. Currently, following Presidential Decree No. 187 of 9 February 2001, the presence of soft wheat flours in quantities not exceeding 3% is tolerated.

Again for durum wheat, another undesirable characteristic is black head mold, which consists in the formation of browning, especially in the apical part and along the central furrow of the caryopsis. This is the result of a fungal attack, which does not discriminate against the wholesomeness of the product, but which leads to a strong commercial depreciation, due to the origin of unsightly blackheads that we sometimes see in some pasta.

Consumers, often unwittingly, tend to prefer dry pasta with a more amber colour. A qualitative parameter of semolina is, in fact, the yellow index, which depends on the content of carotenoids (pigments with antioxidant properties) and which may be less present when it is — 54 whiter. W The whiteness is an undesirable aspect of durum wheat, which leads to a floury rather than vitreous 90/130 break of the grain, also reducing the semolina yield. The causes are strictly related to the cultivation conditions, 130/200 in particular to environmental stress and insufficient nitrogen availability. Using an instrument, called 170/200 a grain-cutter, which transversely dissects a sample of kernels, it is possible to evaluate the percentage 220/240 of white or partially whitened kernels, which must be less than 20% to ensure a good level of quality. 300/310

340/400 Manitoba

Strength

P/L

Protein

Use

Weak

0,4/0,5

9/10,5

Direct dough biscuits

Weak/medium

0,4/0,5

10/11

Crackers, bread sticks

Weak/medium

0,45

10,5/11,5

Common bread, ciabatta, direct dough, sliced loaf, pizza, focaccia, toasted slices

Medium/ strong

0,45/0,5

12/12,5

Baguettes, direct dough common bread, direct dough ciabatta, rolls, 5/6 hour pre-dough

Strong

0,55

13,0

Worked bread, leavened pastries, with 15 hour pre-dough and direct dough

13,5/15

Hollow bread, panettone, pandoro, long fermentation leavening, over 15 hour pre-dough leavened pastries, hamburger rolls

Strong/extra strong

0,55/0,6


www.hotelex.en | www.sygle.com Contact: Alex Ni +86 21 3339 2242 alex.ni@imsinoexpo.com

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56

RECIPES

I

R

DANIELE CAMPANA

Daniele Campana For Daniele Campana, pan pizza is a vocation, but Daniele is a 'son of art'. Since 1990, his father Francesco, together with his mother Carmela, has run a delicatessen in Corigliano Calabro, in the province of Cosenza. It was here, among the flours, sourdough, doughs and typical products, that he developed the desire to dedicate himself to cooking and, in particular, to pizza in a pan, which is now the only product of the former delicatessen. "It was a natural change,' says Daniele, 'even though my parents initially didn't understand why I only focused on one product. However, I had a passion to follow and a dream to make true: to transfer all the flavours of Calabria to the pan pizza, which becomes a dish to tell the story of the many craftsmen who work the land with dedication and commitment.” Over the years, Daniele has alternated his work with studies and training courses on pizza and the art of baking. His pan pizza is now made with stone-ground flour. The dough is indirect and matures for 24 hours at a controlled temperature.

Procedure

Put the flour in a bowl and dissolve the yeast in the water, then add it to the flour. Knead until completely absorbed and leave the mixture in the bowl for 16 hours covered with a damp cloth. 16 hours later, take the dough and add 250 g (8.81 oz) of wholemeal flour, 250 ml (8.45 US fl oz /8.8 UK fl oz) of water and 5 g (0.18 oz) of fresh yeast dissolved in the water. Mix slowly and add 15 g (0.53 oz) of salt and knead until the mixture becomes elastic and smooth.


E

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pan pizza

GRAINS

INGREDIENTS FOR A PAN FOR 4 PEOPLE PRE-DOUGH: strong flour water

500 g (17.63 oz)

250 ml (8.45 US fl oz /8.8 UK fl oz)

fresh yeast

10 gr (0.35 oz)

FINAL DOUGH: wholemeal flour

250 g (8.81 oz)

P

water

300 gr (10.14 US fl oz/ 10.56 UK fl oz)

yeast

5 g (0.18 oz)

whole salt

15 g (0.53 oz)

Let it rest for 30 minutes and cover the dough with a damp cloth. After 30 minutes, cut the dough into two pieces and form two balls and let them rest for an hour, covering them. Once the hour has passed, sprinkle flour on the table on which you will roll out the base and proceed by vigorously pressing the edges of the dough from one end to the other until you have reached the size of the baking tray. Oil the tray and adjust the dough to cover it evenly and leave it to rest for 15 minutes. In the meantime, turn on the oven at 250°C/482°F in static mode. Proceed with the topping, peel and remove the seeds from the pumpkin and cut it into thin wedges. Fry the onion in oil at 75°C (167°F), add the pumpkin and fry for 2 minutes, then add the salt and pepper and wait for the liquid to evaporate. Remove from the heat and blend the pumpkin with a fine-grained masher. In the meantime, cut up some mozzarella fiordilatte and leave it out of the fridge. Get some mortadella from

PAN PIZZA WITH PUMPKIN CREAM, ASPROMONTE BLACK PORK MORTADELLA, ORGANIC LIQUORICE POWDER FROM CALABRIA, TROPEA ONION

TOPPING: Pumpkin

57 — Tropea onion

Black Aspromonte pork mortadella Organic liquorice powder from Calabria Organic sweet oil from Rossano Whole salt

Smoked pepper

Aspromonte black pigs. Bake the pizza base with the pumpkin cream on top for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven and wait 5 minutes for the base to dry. Take the thinly sliced mortadella and cover the whole base, then take the mozzarella and place it on top of the mortadella. Add a little oil and bake for a further 2 minutes. Once cooked, remove the baking tray and sprinkle the pizza with organic liquorice powder from Calabria. Cut it with scissors or as you like and serve.

E


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PIZZA E PASTA ITALIANA Monthly food and food culture magazine Published by PIZZA NEW S.p.A. With permission of the court of Venice n. 1019 del 02/04/1990 n. 4/bis, April, 2022 English Issue Repertorio ROC n. 5768

58

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Since 1990, Pizza e Pasta Italiana has been the Italian magazine of reference for professionals working in the pizza sector. As the organiser of international events such as the Pizza World Championship, Pizza e Pasta Italiana magazine tells the story of pizza over time, in Italy and in the world, through scientific articles, interviews with professionals, thematic insights on toppings, ingredients and specialities, processing techniques and new trends, with a constant spirit of service towards the restaurateur.

Slices is a print and digital publishing project that continues to grow by looking into some of the basic raw materials used to make pizza to perfection. "Slices" of culture for professionals only, offering them a practical and immediate tool to progressively contribute to spreading knowledge of raw materials, processing techniques, technologies and the most suitable tools to prepare, with passion and love, one of the most loved dishes in the world.

Second edition:

/Grains- Part 05 /Toppings, ingredients and specialities - Part 06 /Preparation and cooking: equipment and tools - Part 07 /Mozzarella, cheeses and ingredients - Part 08 www.pizzaepastaitaliana.it


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