Produttori

The Langhe Miller and Ancient Grain Flour

How stone-milling varieties like Gentil Rosso and Risciola changes the hydration, roasting, and structure of a vegetable-marine soba.

I met Piero, a miller in Monchiero, while searching for a flour that could withstand an encounter with seaweed and dashi without losing its character. He mills with granite stones at a slow pace, 40-60 kg/hour, keeping the flour temperature below 38°C; this prevents the denaturation of enzymes and preserves the earthy aromas of the germ. He works with Piedmontese ancient grains — Gentil Rosso, Risciola, Inverno — milling them whole before sifting at 180 microns to separate the coarse bran without removing the germ. The result is a flour with a low W value (160-180), low in gluten but rich in flavor, perfect for doughs that do not require much leavening but must tell the story of the grain.

With this flour, I construct a hybrid soba: 60% stone-milled ancient grain flour, 40% buckwheat flour, 38% hydration, hand-kneaded for 12 minutes until the structure is smooth but not elastic — the low gluten content demands this; there is no need to force it. After a 30-minute rest covered, it is rolled out to 2 mm and knife-cut into 3 mm tagliatelle. Cooking is brief, 90 seconds in vigorously boiling water, because the low gluten strength does not forgive long cooking times: it will disintegrate. The dashi made from kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms becomes the contrasting liquid: a cold extraction for 8 hours, followed by a slow temperature increase to 60°C for 20 minutes without ever reaching a boil, otherwise the kombu releases bitterness and unwanted mucilage.

I filter it using a cotton cloth, not a fine strainer, to leave a minimum of body. This broth marries with the toasted ancient grain flour: the light dry roast I perform in a pan, 90 seconds over medium heat before kneading, enhances hazelnut notes that the umami dashi balances without masking. For the final dish, I add scallops seared for 45 seconds per side on a 220°C griddle, just enough to create a Maillard crust while keeping the center raw and translucent, and an emulsion of black sesame oil and yuzu juice in a 3:1 ratio, whisked cold with a splash of the soba cooking water to stabilize it. Piero's flour here is not merely a background: it is an aromatic structure that holds its own against strong flavors like kombu and yuzu without disappearing.

Practical advice: if you are working with stone-milled whole grain flours with a low strength index, do not try to compensate with long kneading or double leavening — respect short resting times (20-30 minutes) and rapid cooking, letting the grain speak, rather than classical baking technique.

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