Ingredient
Semolina
semola rimacinataGolden durum-wheat flour that gives southern-Italian focaccia its color, tender bite, and subtle sweetness.
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-08
Quick answer
Semolina is flour milled from hard durum wheat, prized for its golden color and tender, slightly sweet bite. For focaccia use finely milled semola rimacinata, usually blended with bread flour; coarse semolina is better as a non-stick dusting under the dough.
What it contributes
Durum is a hard, high-protein wheat with golden carotenoid pigments. Milled into flour it brings a warm yellow color, a faintly sweet flavor, and a tender-yet-toothsome bite that defines southern-Italian breads like focaccia barese and Altamura-style loaves.
Durum protein is strong but its gluten is less elastic than common bread wheat, so semolina is usually blended with bread flour rather than used at 100% — the blend gives color and character while keeping a workable, extensible dough.
Fine versus coarse
There are two textures. Coarse semolina (like fine sand) is what many countries simply label "semolina"; it is excellent dusted under dough to stop sticking and add crunch, but gritty if used as the main flour. Semola rimacinata is durum re-milled to a fine, soft flour — this is what you knead into the dough for focaccia barese.
If a recipe calls for semolina in the dough, it means the fine rimacinata. Using coarse semolina in its place gives a gritty, sandy crumb.
How to use it in focaccia
A common approach is a blend — for example, part fine semolina and part bread flour — which yields a golden, tender focaccia with good structure. Durum absorbs water well, so keep hydration generous. Focaccia barese traditionally leans on semola with boiled potato worked into the dough for extra softness.
Coarse semolina also earns its keep as a "no-stick" layer: a light scatter in the oiled pan or on the peel helps release and adds a pleasant crunch to the base.
How to choose and store
Look specifically for "semola rimacinata di grano duro" for the dough; plain "semolina" or "durum semolina" is usually the coarser grind. Both keep well: airtight, cool, and dark for months. As with all flour, buy a quantity you will use within a few months and freeze it if you bake rarely.
Where to buy it
Italian delis and larger supermarkets stock fine semola rimacinata; coarse semolina is common in the baking aisle. Buy the fine grind for doughs, the coarse for dusting.
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Frequently asked
- What is the difference between semolina and semola rimacinata?
- Both are durum-wheat flours. Semolina is usually a coarse grind (good for dusting); semola rimacinata is re-milled fine and is what you knead into focaccia and bread dough.
- Can I make focaccia entirely from semolina?
- You can, but durum gluten is less elastic, so most recipes blend fine semolina with bread flour for structure. 100% semolina gives a denser, more compact crumb.
- Why is my semolina focaccia gritty?
- You likely used coarse semolina in the dough. Switch to finely milled semola rimacinata for a smooth, tender crumb, and reserve coarse semolina for dusting the pan.
Sources & notes: Durum classifications per standard Italian milling terminology.