bread
Why Bakers Are Switching to Italian Type 1 Organic Bread Flour
If your sourdough feed is full of open-crumb loaves made with Italian flour, it isn't a coincidence. Home bakers and professional bakeries across the U.S. are discovering that flour grown and milled in Italy behaves, tastes and feels different from the bags they grew up with.
Part of it is flavor. Part of it is performance in long, high-hydration doughs. And a big part of it is what Italian flour doesn't have: no bleaching, no bromate, no added enzymes. Here's what's behind the trend, and why Polselli's Organic Type 1 Bread Flour is quickly becoming a favorite.
Italian flour vs. typical U.S. flour: what's actually different
The biggest difference isn't the wheat alone. It's how the flour is treated before it reaches your kitchen. Many conventional U.S. flours go through processing steps that are not permitted in the European Union.
| Typical conventional U.S. flour | Polselli Organic Type 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bleaching (benzoyl peroxide, chlorine) | Common in white and cake flours | Unbleached |
| Potassium bromate (dough "improver") | Still allowed in most states | Not used (not authorized in the EU) |
| Added enzymes | Often added to standardize performance | None |
| Synthetic enrichment | Most white flour is enriched | Nothing added, just milled wheat |
| Pre-harvest glyphosate | Used on some U.S. wheat as a drying agent | Certified organic; Italy also restricts pre-harvest use |
| Origin | Often blended from many sources | 100% Italian wheat, traceable by QR code |
The result is a flour that's closer to what it was in the field. Bakers often describe a more pronounced wheat aroma, a creamier crumb color and a dough that responds to time and fermentation rather than to additives.
What "Type 1" means
Italy classifies soft wheat flour by how much of the whole grain stays in it, measured by ash (mineral) content. The higher the number, the more bran and germ remain.
| Italian type | Ash content (max) | What it's like |
|---|---|---|
| Tipo 00 | 0.55% | Silky, white; classic for Neapolitan pizza and pasta |
| Tipo 0 | 0.65% | Slightly more structure |
| Tipo 1 | 0.80% | High-extraction: more flavor, color and nutrients, still bakes light |
| Tipo 2 | 0.95% | Rustic, close to semi-whole |
| Integrale | 1.30–1.70% | Whole wheat |
Type 1 is the sweet spot many artisan bakers chase. You get more of the germ's aroma and minerals than in a 00, without the heaviness of whole wheat. That's why it's become the go-to for sourdough, country loaves and focaccia.
Meet Polselli Organic Bread Flour
Polselli has been milling in Italy for generations, and this flour was built specifically for open-crumb, long-fermented bread.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Tipo 1, high-extraction soft wheat |
| Protein | 11.5–12.5% |
| Strength (W) | 300–320 |
| Certifications | USDA Organic, Non-GMO |
| What's added | Nothing: unbleached, no additives, no enzymes |
| Best for | Long fermentation, high-hydration dough, artisan bread |
| Size | 11 lb (5 kg) |
A W of 300–320 is a strong flour. In practice, that means the gluten network can hold the gas and water of a 70–80% hydration dough through an overnight cold ferment, which is exactly what produces that glossy, open crumb.
Scan the bag, meet the wheat
Every bag carries a QR code that shows where the wheat comes from. The grain is grown across eight Italian regions: Piemonte, Lombardia, Veneto, Toscana, Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo and Molise. These are areas with centuries of grain-growing tradition, from the plains of the north to the hills of central Italy. Traceability like this is rare on a U.S. shelf, and it's a big reason bakers trust the flour.
Recipe: Artisan Bread (Direct Method)
This is the recipe printed on the side of the bag. It makes three loaves of about 550 g each, at 67% hydration, a forgiving starting point before you push hydration higher.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Polselli Organic Type 1 Flour | 1000 g |
| Water | 670 g |
| Fresh yeast | 8 g (or 2.7 g dry yeast) |
| Salt | 22 g |
- Mix. Combine the flour with 90% of the water. Add the yeast and mix. Add the salt and remaining water, then mix until smooth and elastic (about 15 minutes total).
- Bulk ferment. 2 hours at 75–79°F (24–26°C), until doubled.
- Divide and shape. Cut into 3 pieces of about 550 g and shape into loaves.
- Proof. About 2 hours.
- Bake with steam. Start at 465°F (240°C). After 10 minutes, lower to 410°F (210°C). After 25–30 minutes, lower to 375°F (190°C). Total bake: 45–50 minutes. Vent the oven slightly at the end for a crisp crust.
Why add salt late? It tightens gluten and slows yeast, so holding it back lets the dough develop first. We covered this in depth in The Salt Secret in Neapolitan Pizza Dough.
Tips for your first bag
- Go wetter than you think. Type 1 absorbs more water than 00 or all-purpose flour. Once you're comfortable at 67%, try 72–75%.
- Give it time. An overnight cold retard (12–18 hours in the fridge) brings out the nutty, wheaty flavor this flour is known for.
- Expect a darker, creamier crumb. That color is the bran and germ, not a flaw. It's where the flavor lives.
- Use it beyond bread. Focaccia, pizza al taglio and rustic pizza crusts all benefit from the extra character.
Who it's for
Home bakers chasing that open, glossy crumb will love it. So will bakeries and restaurants looking for a clean-label, organic flour they can put on the menu with a story behind it. We ship from a single bag up to full pallets, with volume pricing that drops the per-bag cost as you scale.
Shop Polselli Organic Type 1 Bread Flour →
Free shipping on orders over $99. Baking for a business? Contact our team for pallet pricing.