What is the difference between durum wheat and soft wheat?

Durum wheat and soft wheat are two of the fundamental elements of our cuisine and our food pyramid. Wheat, or more commonly known as grain, is the most cultivated cereal both in Italy and worldwide. However, there are many varieties of both durum wheat and soft wheat, and among the most common are:

Triticum vulgare or aestivum which is a soft wheat, found mainly in Northern Italy;

Triticum turgidum durum a type of durum wheat, found mainly in the central-southern regions.

These are two distinct plant species that possess properties that are not entirely similar, which can be used to create products with different characteristics.

Main differences between durum wheat and soft wheat

• Soft wheat: wheat characterized by grains with a mealy fracture which, after milling, yields flours with fine and rounded granules, suitable for professional baking, from pastry to pizza to bread. It has a very high glycemic index;
• Durum wheat: wheat formed by grains with an angular consistency that remains even after milling. Durum wheat flour contains many more proteins than soft wheat flour, absorbs more water, and has a greater satiating power. It has a lower glycemic index compared to soft wheat flour and is rich in carotenoids, organic pigments with antioxidant and anti-free radical action. Durum wheat flour (semolina) is perfect for the production of dry pasta, and is used in smaller percentages in bread doughs, always mixed with soft wheat flour.

Soft wheat flours

There are 5 different types: type 00, 0, 1, 2, and wholemeal flour. These numbers: 00, 0, 1, and 2, indicate the degree of refinement of the soft wheat flour; from a nutritional point of view, a more refined food is less useful for the human organism. The scale of refinement degrees is regulated by Italian law based on these characteristics:

• Type 00 flour: the most refined flour, obtained from the heart of the soft wheat grain and for this reason richer in carbohydrates. It is suitable for kneading certain types of bread or pizzas and for pastry making. It absorbs 55% of its weight in water.
• Type 0 flour: contains a larger amount of the outermost part of the wheat grain. Suitable for biscuits, wafers, breadsticks, and small pastries, it absorbs about 50% of its weight in water.
• Type 1 flour: comes from the milling of the entire grain without removing any part. Through a sifting operation called bolting (abburattamento), the flour is then separated based on the size of the "granules". Type 1 flour contains a higher amount of bran and wheat germ, richer in nutrients compared to 0 and 00. Perfect for high-quality bread making;
• Type 2 flour: also known as "semi-wholemeal" flour, it is characterized by large-sized granules and a higher quantity of fibrous components and seed germ compared to the previous ones. It has excellent nutritional characteristics and is easier to work with than wholemeal flour. Suitable for common bread making.
• Wholemeal flour: flour that has undergone only the first milling process, therefore containing all parts of the wheat, including the outermost ones like the bran. The richest in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Special flour: produced with special grains, such as Manitoba, and used to produce particular breads. It absorbs 90% of its weight in water. Manitoba is the name of a region in Canada, but today all flours possessing these same properties are called Manitoba. The main characteristic of this type of soft wheat is the high presence of glutenin proteins, which during leavening in contact with water develops a tough "gluten network" capable of tolerating long leavening times.