Organic Sifted Durum Wheat Flour (Milanaise)

Our organic sifted durum wheat flour is made by "La Milanaise" in Quebec from organic durum wheat. It is perfect to make pasta of to use as a dusting flour.

This flour is sifted which means it is neither white or brown but in between the two. The sifting process removes only a part of the bran.

Durum wheat, also called pasta wheat or macaroni wheat is the second most cultivated species of wheat after common wheat. Durum in Latin means "hard", and the species is the hardest of all wheats. This refers to the resistance of the grain to milling, in particular of the starchy endosperm, implying dough made from its flour is weak or "soft". This makes durum favorable for semolina and pasta.

This organic flour is specifically made to make pasta.

What is the difference between bleached and unbleached flour?

• When flour is first milled, it has a yellowish cast that some consumers find unappealing. Within a few months of milling, however, these carotenoids, or pigments, in flour naturally whiten. Because it is expensive to naturally "age" flour, some producers expedite the process chemically.
• In "bleached" flours, benzoyl peroxide is most commonly used to fade the yellow color. Organic standards prohibit the use of chemicals so none of our organic flours are bleached.
• Cost is the only reason that pushes most commercial bakers to prefer bleached flours.

What is the difference between white and sifted flour?

• Before the grains are milled into flour, white flour has the bran and germ removed.
• Sifted white flour is milled whole just like whole brown flour. After milling it goes through a sifter that sifts out some of the bran. The result is a flour in between white and brown. It is healthier than white unbleached flour but still has a higher gluten content that whole flour making it a perfect balance for most bakery needs.

What is "La Milanaise"?

• Founded in 1977 in Milan, Quebec (Eastern Townships) by Robert and Lily Beauchemin it began as an organic farming venture. In 1982 they started expanding their stone-milled organic flour products by building their first dedicated milling building on the farm and never stopped expanding.
• With their latest factory built in 2016 in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec (Montérégie) "La Milanaise" now has a 350 ton per day capacity, becoming the biggest organic milling company in the province.