Why mix 00 flour and semolina for pasta?

Each flour brings something different. Soft wheat 00 keeps the dough silky and tender, while twice-milled semolina rimacinata adds chew, structure, and a slightly rougher surface that grips sauce. Blending the two gives you a dough tender enough to roll but sturdy enough to hold its shape and bite.

What is the best ratio of 00 flour to semolina for pasta?

Anywhere from 25% to 75% semolina works because I've tested it. A 50/50 split is the easiest place to start and works for almost any shape. Lean toward more 00 for a softer dough that rolls more easily and is a bit silkier for ravioli and tagliatelle, or go heavier on semolina for firmer, chewier strands that grip sauce.

Does this blend need more water than an all-00 dough?

It can depend especially on the size of your eggs. Semolina absorbs water more slowly than 00 flour, so the heavier you go on semolina, the more water the dough will likely need. Add it a little at a time, and if a semolina-heavy dough feels sticky, wait about 10 minutes before adding more flour to let it finish hydrating. If it feels tacky, but isn't sticking to your fingers it's time to start kneading it.

Can I use regular semolina instead of semola rimacinata?

Technically, yes, but I don't recommend it. Semola rimacinata is twice-milled and therefore has a really fine texture that lends itself to a strong, but smoother dough. You can also swap in more 00 flour if that is all you have.

Why does my semolina blend dough spring back when I roll it?

Because it needs more time to relax and let the gluten relax. Twice-milled semolina flour (farina di semola rimacinata) is a hard wheat and also typically has more protein than 00 soft wheat flour. So this blend can feel springier than a 00-only flour dough. Resting it for 20 to 30 minutes relaxes the gluten enough to roll out cleanly. For the full why behind resting, see my 00 flour egg pasta guide.

Homemade Semolina & 00 Flour Pasta Dough (Semola Rimacinata)

Name: Homemade 00 Flour & Semolina Pasta Dough (Semola Rimacinata)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 54 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 200g 00 Italian flour; 200g Semola Rimacinata di Gran Duro Italian flour; 4 large eggs (pasta gialla eggs or other richly-colored egg preferred) (150g); a splash or 2 of water (this 50/50 blend usually takes a little more hydration than an all-00 dough)

Description

This homemade semolina and 00 flour egg pasta recipe is simple to make and uses just 3 ingredients -- a combination of soft wheat Italian 00 flour, semolina rimacinata (twice-milled hard wheat flour), and eggs. Stellar results in under 1 hour!

Ingredients

200g 00 Italian flour
200g Semola Rimacinata di Gran Duro Italian flour
4 large eggs (pasta gialla eggs or other richly-colored egg preferred) (150g)
a splash or 2 of water (this 50/50 blend usually takes a little more hydration than an all-00 dough)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark even when your hands have flour all over them

Instructions

Make the dough. Add both flours to a countertop or large bread bowl and make a "well" in the middle. Add the cracked eggs to the center and begin agitating the eggs to combine them with the flour being sure to keep them in the center of the "well". Work in a circular motion incorporating more flour into the center until the mixture is combined and forms a shaggy, stiff dough. *Alternatively, you may place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and knead them on medium speed for 5 minutes using the dough hook or into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade and pulse until the mixture is combined.
Knead the dough. Form the dough into a ball and remove it to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough by turning it clockwise a quarter turn and repeating until the dough becomes soft and pliable, or about 15 minutes. It should be much smoother and somewhat elastic at this point. *Alternatively, you may knead the dough using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment for 10 to 12 minutes on medium-low speed (speed #2 on a KitchenAid).
Rest the dough. Cover the dough with sustainable plastic wrap, or simply cover it with a small bowl turned upside down and allow the dough to rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours. This step is essential for the dough (specifically the gluten network formed during the kneading process) to have time to relax making it easier to roll out and help create that springy "bite" we love about good pasta.
Roll out the dough. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and work with one piece at a time covering the other piece so they don't dry out. Press down to form a disc just thin enough to be fed through the pasta machine's widest setting (0 or 1 depending on your pasta machine). Feed the dough through the rollers while turning the crank. Lightly dust both sides of the pasta sheet with flour and fold it like a letter (bringing in the two ends to the middle) to form a more even rectangle. Feed the pasta sheet back through the rollers on (0 or 1) until it is long and rectangular in shape. Cut the pasta sheet in half and dust each piece lightly with flour. Set the adjustment knob to 1 and pass the pasta sheet through one time. Set the adjustment knob to 2 and pass the pasta sheet through one time. Set the adjustment knob to 3, pass the pasta sheet through one time, and continue on adjusting the knob setting and passing the dough through until you've reached the desired thickness (the recommended thickness setting is typically number 6 for fettuccine, tagliatelle, ravioli, lasagna, etc., but it's is up to you.
Cut the desired pasta shapes. Attach the pasta shape cutter attachment and run the sheets of pasta through them, sprinkle them with semolina (or other flour) and shape them into a bird's nest, or hang them on a pasta drying rack. Alternatively, you may roll up the rectangular sheets of pasta and cut them into the desired thickness for fettuccine or pappardelle, etc. If making lasagna, leave the sheets just as they are or trim them to the desired length. If using immediately, allow the noodles to dry for at least 10 minutes before boiling (or layering uncooked into lasagna). You may store the pasta in an airtight freezer-safe container, but try to use them up within a month or so for best results. You may also allow the pasta to dry at room temperature loosely covered with a tea towel and then store in a jar at room temperature, but make sure they are completely dried out before using this method. If making filled pasta like ravioli, etc. follow the instructions according to the recipe you're using and Enjoy!

Notes

Bring eggs to room temperature before starting. Cold eggs make the dough harder to bring together.

For filled pasta (ravioli, tortelli, tortellini), leave salt out of the dough. For cut shapes (fettuccine, tagliatelle, pappardelle), a pinch of salt is fine (but I’ve never seen an Italian here ever add it). If you add it, stir it into the eggs first so it dissolves before it gets mixed into the flour.

Because this is a half-and-half blend with more semolina than an all-00 dough, it may need a little extra water to make it cohesive. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time until the dough comes together.

Never wash your pasta machine with water. Flour and water turn to glue and clog the rollers. Brush it clean and wipe with a dry cloth.

For freezing, drying, and cooking fresh egg pasta, see my full 00 flour egg pasta guide.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rest Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Category: Pasta
Method: Mix & Stir
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 4 ounce serving
Calories: 297
Sugar: 0.3g
Sodium: 39mg
Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 54g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 12g
Cholesterol: 113mg