GLOSSARY.
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Drawing
The drawing procedure models the dough into the final pasta shapes.
Ensilage
In all the transformation phases from wheat to pasta the products are ensiled. The silos are large containers where the wheat, flour or
pasta are stored ready to be ground, mixed or packaged.
Gluten
When water is added to flour, two proteins it contains, gliadin and glutenine, mix together to form gluten, which is a very elastic and tacky substance.
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Hard wheat
Hard wheat (triticum durum) has always been used to make the best pasta. The main reason behind this choice is the high gluten
content (approx. 80% of the total proteins in hard wheat). Its delicate flavour and perfume and appetizing colour have all
helped make dry pasta one of the most appreciated dishes throughout the world.
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Kneading
The job of the kneader is to mix the dough, make it compact and smooth without breaking it up, protecting its firmness and resistance
and even colour. The kneader must not cause a surface crust to form, so its action must be simultaneously deep, gentle and fast to
prevent weakening and whitening the dough too much.
The kneader is like a wide wooden knife and must exert strong pressure on the dough to amalgamate the gluten particles.
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Mount Latemar
The Latemar chain is to the north of the town of Predazzo, at approx. 1,900 m above sea level the spring is found that supplies our pasta factory.
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Organoleptic qualities
These are the qualities we perceive with our senses.
The colour, aroma, flavour, consistency are all features recognised by our senses and therefore are part of the organoleptic qualities of a product.
For food products in particular, these features are of fundamental importance, because the aroma, consistency, colour and, above all, the flavour of
any food product can determine its success long before the physical-chemical properties it contains.
Overcooking
Overcooked pasta.
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Production chain
For us the production chain is the team of experts working in the various phases (from the grain to the pasta) applying all their expertise to the
cultivation, preservation, grinding and the transformation of the wheat into pasta. Traceability means that we have created the right conditions
to know the exact origins of all our raw materials and, what is more, share the philosophy behind the "Monograno Selections" with the upstream
operators along the chain.
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Selenium
This is a chemical element needed to produce many of the enzymes and proteins required for our cellular metabolism. In particular, a key enzyme
- glutation-peroxidase - works with vitamin E and neutralises the free radicals and organic peroxides. This trace element is a specific anti-oxidant
for minerals, and selenium also protects the cells against the toxic effects of heavy metals, in particular arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead.
Semolina
Semolina is produced by grinding hard wheat. Law n. 580 of 4.7.1967, the so-called "pasta pureness law" establishes its main features, such as the
maximum content of ash, the minimum content of proteins and gluten. Semolina is yellow and has angular granules and has always been the main
product used by Italian pasta makers.
Simmer
Cook over a medium flame so that boiling continues very slowly.
Single variety
Over the last 50 years pasta has become a mass consumption product throughout the world. For this reason (at least for the large productions
addressed to the bulk markets) pasta cannot be produced with pure wheat coming from single production zones, rather it is produced with mixtures
of selected wheat. However, the philosophy behind Monograno Selections is to avoid all compromises and only use cereals (kamut, spelt
or hard wheat) that have single-variety properties. To guarantee their purity these cereals can only come from organic cultivations.
The transformation of a single variety into pasta not only guarantees total traceability but also all the quality advantages derived from
using an excellent product. There is only one problem: the seasons differ, weather and climate conditions change, sometimes to the extent
that they can ruin the quality of the product. Therefore, in the same way as for an excellent wine, the choice to transform single variety
cereals into pasta can be risky, but it is a risk that is worth facing to make excellent pasta.
Static cells (drying)
The right drying process means that pasta can be stored at room temperature for a very long time. It simply involves drying the pasta, but
it is not very easy to remove a high amount of moisture from a product without ruining its structure, and this is why the drying process is a
closely guarded secret of each pasta maker, depending on the pasta features and the production method, choosing the various different drying
methods that have been developed over the centuries.
In past centuries, pasta was dried in various ways: by the sun in the Gulf of Naples, in heated rooms in Liguria and Alsazia.
To improve the quality of the pasta (i.e. remove moisture without ruining the structure) various solutions have been experimented, including
static cells at the beginning of the century which turned out to be the best method. With the advent of automation, static driers were slowly
replaced by automatic lines where the pasta passed through areas with different temperature and humidity levels, which simulated and improved
the drying processes of the static cells.
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USDA, JAS, KASHER Certification
In a world where food safety is of paramount importance, we have decided not only to certify our production system but also our products in
compliance with the strict criteria established by various international control boards.
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Val di Fiemme
There is nothing better than visiting the site of the local tourist office.
www.valdifiemme.info
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