Our durum wheat: sowing, threshing, conservation, and milling

Pastificio dei Campi Durum Wheat 2008/2009

Last year in November and December we completed sowing the wheat in all areas which had been previously selected. The principle varieties of wheat that were cultivated were Grecale, Simeto, and Saracolla. Most of the durum wheat pasta factory used by the field comes from Puglia and to a lesser extent from Molise and Basilicata.

The lands used for cultivation of high quality durum wheat follow a three year rotation: for two years the wheat is sown there, and the third year renewing crops are planted, for example legumes, tomatoes, beets, and animal feed. Our lands were prepared for sowing with light plowing followed by harrowing, which creates an even bed for sowing. The sowing was performed by highly precise sowing machines which sow 180-220 kg/Ha. At the same time the land was fertilized with a high level nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer; the land was again fertilized between January and March with a highly nitrogenous fertilizer that supports the plant and provides the nitrogen necessary for high protein levels. From April to June the crops were weeded and controlled for pests. After June 13th (celebration of our Patron Saint Antonio), we proceeded to harvest the crops with harvesters and transfer the goods to our warehouses.

Before the wheat is stored in our warehouses it is put through a number of analytical tests to determine its quality, then divided into homogenous batches. At this point we also perform a few cleaning operations to eliminate any hay, dust, or other substances that could compromise the proper conservation of the cereal.

The wheat is placed into reinforced concrete silos that protect it from sudden changes in temperature and preserve it as if it was in a cellar; it is important to remember that the wheat inside the silos is still a live vegetable organism and until its ‘life’ ends, it must be kept in a healthy environment with uniform temperatures. From June to September the wheat changes: its protein quality and gluten consistency improve, guaranteeing a pasta with an excellent consistency. Evitare i lunghi trasporti consente inoltre di mantenere inalterata la fragranza del grano duro. Al contrario, quando si acquista il grano oltreoceano lo si trasporta per molto tempo in grandi navi che hanno ospitato prima altri prodotti (come soia o mais) che possono contaminare le caratteristiche del grano.

In September we began to mill the durum wheat. Our milling process is a compromise of tradition and technology and is carried out with traditional means and not following more recent techniques. The cylinders (also known as rolling mills) mill the wheat at a very low number of rotations to avoid overheating it, as well as to conserve the original fragrance of the durum wheat. The process of extracting the semolina is also quite long because the semolina must detach from the bran very delicately.