When you find a recipe that calls for Manitoba flour, you may discover that Manitoba flour can be hard to find. What do you use for a substitute in a case where you can’t find the kind of flour you are looking for? Use a substitute, of course!
Some great alternatives to Manitoba flour include bread flour, all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and durum. All of these Manitoba flour substitutions can easily be found in your local grocery store, making them that much more appealing as alternatives.
As you probably already know, Manitoba flour has some pretty special properties that make it great for Italian baking. So, you’ll have to doctor up these alternatives to get something remotely close to Manitoba flour.
Top Alternatives for Manitoba Flour
Finding Manitoba flour for your favorite rustic Italian bread or pizza dough can be a challenge in some geographical areas. In some instances, you may have to use the closest substitute you can find. In the list below, the most common and comparable alternatives to Manitoba flour are taken into consideration:
1. Bread Flour
When you’re searching for a substitute to make bread, doughs, or crusts, bread flour is the closest substitute you’ll find for Manitoba flour. Bread flour and Manitoba flour both work so well in these recipes because of their high protein content, which allows them to bind together better than other substitutions.
In any case, when you can’t even find bread flour as a substitute, you can use other types of flour and add gluten or enjoy the fact your recipe will have a different taste altogether.
2. All-Purpose Flour
Much easier to find than bread flour, all-purpose flour is a generic substitute for Manitoba flour that can be used in a pinch. Some varieties of bread flour are all-purpose flour with Manitoba flour added in. This is, perhaps, the best alternative that can be found.
When you choose to use all-purpose flour in place of Manitoba flour, you’ll find the result is a more crumbly texture. This is because all-purpose flour has a lower gluten content than Manitoba, making it a softer type of flour.
3. Semolina Flour
If you’re wanting to make pasta but can’t find Italian Manitoba flour, you can consider using semolina flour. Best used in baking, semolina flour creates a crisp and crumbly texture that is rich and decadent.
Semolina flour is comparable to Manitoba flour because it also has a high protein content. It’s a popular ingredient in pasta and bread-making. In general, semolina flour has a coarser texture and a more yellowy color than Manitoba flour, though.
4. Durum
The increased levels of glutenin and gliadin make durum comparable to Manitoba flour and suitable for use as a Manitoba flour substitute. Durum wheat is full of protein, which makes it elastic and great for pizza dough.
Durum flour also works well as a substitute for Manitoba flour when making pasta noodles or other types of stretchy dough. Sometimes, Manitoba flour and durum can be mixed to create the perfect combination.
What Makes a Good Manitoba Flour Substitute?
Commonly used in bread-making, pasta, and pizza dough, Manitoba flour is full of protein and stretchy. This makes it great for recipes that need to develop air bubbles for even cooking or rising.
If a Manitoba flour substitute encompasses these qualities, you can guarantee it will perform well as an alternative.
