Calories in Flour, semolina, coarse and semi-coarse

What makes flour so powerful?

Semolina is milled from durum wheat (Triticum durum), the hardest of all wheat varieties, which contains a high protein matrix that shatters into sharp, crystalline granules rather than pulverizing into a fine powder like common bread wheat. This coarse texture is exactly what makes it ideal for extruding into pasta, as the granules hydrate evenly without turning gummy. The characteristic yellow color comes from carotenoid pigments in the durum endosperm, which are carefully preserved during milling to maintain the visual appeal of the final product. Unlike all-purpose flour, which is roller-milled to remove the bran and germ and then often bleached, semolina's larger particle size requires a longer hydration time when making dough. This slower water absorption is the mechanical reason why fresh semolina pasta dough is often rested before shaping, allowing the hard granules to fully absorb moisture and develop the elastic gluten network needed to hold its shape during boiling. Coarse and semi-coarse grades specifically refer to the granule diameter, which influences the final chewiness of the extruded noodle.