Semolina flour – ideal for savory pastries
Jul 09, 2025
It looks like yellow sand, but it can do great things. Semolina flour is becoming the secret ingredient of anyone serious about savory baking. If you're looking for a flour that will add crunch, color, and flavor to your baked goods, you've found it.
Semolina flour: what is it and why should you have it at home?
Semolina flour is milled from durum wheat and is easily recognizable by its yellowish hue and coarser texture than regular plain flour. This coarseness and high gluten content make it an ideal choice for all kinds of savory pastries, from flatbreads to Italian focaccia to homemade pizza.
When sourdough , water and semolina come together, you create a dough that holds its shape, rises beautifully and has a wonderfully rustic character. If you've only baked with classic plain, get ready for a completely new experience.
Why is semolina flour so popular for savory pastries?
🥖 Texture – Semolina dough has more resilience and structure. The resulting pastry has a crispy crust and a soft, elastic interior.
🥖 Color - A natural yellow tint will give bread and focaccia a beautiful appearance and thus an increased taste for pastries.
🥖 Taste – The slightly nutty, earthy taste of semolina beautifully complements even simple recipes.
🥖 Versatility - It is suitable not only as pizza flour , but also in doughs for baguettes, ciabatta or homemade bread.
Semolina is also a great partner for those starting out in sourdough baking. If you learn how to combine it with sourdough, it will open the door to a whole new dimension of baking.
How to use it: recipes that come to life with it
– Homemade sourdough bread : add 20 to 30% semolina to the dough, and the bread will get a better texture and color.
– Focaccia or pizza : semolina flour will help you create the perfect base – crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside.
– Pasta : classic – semolina is the basis for homemade tagliatelle, gnocchi or ravioli.
– Sweet pastries ? Yes! For example, semolina cake with orange or lemon. Even though semolina is a strong performer in the savory area, it can also handle something extra.
How to work with semolina
It absorbs more water than regular flour - the dough may be stiffer, so give it time. When baking with yeast, let it autolyze longer - the dough will be more supple.
1. For a finer result , mix it half and half with plain flour.
2. It is also suitable for topping – it does not stick and gives the bottom of the pizza extra crunch.
If you are interested in flour, you can try this high-quality Italian semolina flour . ↓
