Farina Manitoba: proprietà, utilizzi per Pasticceria e Pizza

Manitoba flour, with its unique characteristics, is a precious resource not only in bread and pastry making but also in the art of pizza. Originally from Canada, this flour is obtained from varieties of soft wheat with a high protein content, which gives properties particularly suitable for the processing of doughs that require long leavening and great elasticity.

Origins and Characteristics

Grown in the fertile Canadian plains, Manitoba wheat stands out for its high gluten content, which makes the flour capable of absorbing a lot of water and developing a strong and resistant gluten network. These qualities make it ideal for the preparation of baked products with a soft and honeycomb structure.

Uses in the Kitchen: From Pastry to Pizza

In addition to panettone, brioche and pandoro, Manitoba flour finds its excellence in use for pizza. Doughs prepared with this flour can enjoy a longer leavening, resulting in a pizza with a particularly soft, light and digestible crust, with a well-developed and honeycombed edge. This makes it perfect for highly hydrated pizza variations, such as Roman-style pan pizza or Neapolitan pizza, where the elasticity and resistance of the dough are essential to obtain the classic puffy and aerated crust.

Adapted Processing Techniques

Working with Manitoba flour for pizza requires particular attention to hydration and leavening times. Given its ability to absorb more water, doughs require a greater addition of liquid than those made with common flours, and resting times must be extended to allow gluten development to proceed in the best way.

Mixing with Other Flours

To obtain more manageable doughs suitable for specific pizza recipes, Manitoba flour can be mixed with other flours less rich in proteins. This allows you to customize the dough based on the desired characteristics, balancing strength and extensibility as needed.

Environmental and Sustainability Considerations

The use of Manitoba flour raises sustainability issues related to its transportation from considerable distances. Many seek local alternatives or seek to minimize the ecological footprint associated with its use, without giving up the qualities that make Manitoba flour so popular in the preparation of pizza and baked goods.

In conclusion, Manitoba flour confirms itself as a versatile and highly valuable ingredient for those seeking to raise the quality of their pizza, offering unique characteristics that improve structure and digestibility. The importance of using it with awareness of its properties and the environmental impact of its transport remains fundamental for a responsible and sustainable approach in the kitchen.

Further notes

High Protein Content: Manitoba flour is characterized by a protein content that can vary from 14% to 15%, depending on the variety of wheat and cultivation conditions. This high percentage of protein is significantly higher than medium strength flours (10%-12% protein content), contributing to increased gluten formation.

Water Absorption: Thanks to its high protein content, Manitoba flour has a high water absorption capacity, often 60-70% higher than its weight. This characteristic is fundamental for the preparation of highly hydrated doughs, which are softer and more honeycombed.

Flour Strength (W): The strength of the flour, measured with the W index, in the case of Manitoba can exceed 350-400W, indicating a very high strength flour. This high value represents the dough's ability to resist deformation and retain fermentation gases, essential for baked products with long leavening times.

Elasticity and Tolerance to Mechanical Stress: Manitoba flour is particularly appreciated for its high elasticity and tolerance to mechanical stress during dough processing. These properties allow the dough to maintain its shape and structure even in the presence of long processing or prolonged leavening.

Mixing with Other Flours: To modulate the characteristics of the dough, Manitoba flour is often mixed with less strong flours (for example, with a W index around 250-280W). This practice allows you to obtain doughs that balance elasticity and extensibility, suitable for different types of baked products, including pizza with specific characteristics of crunchiness and honeycombing.

Sustainability and Local Alternatives: Considering the importation from Canada and the environmental impact related to transportation, there is growing interest in the research and development of locally grown high-protein wheat varieties. These alternatives seek to offer similar properties to Manitoba flour, while reducing the carbon footprint associated with their use.