Division 5.2 Specificity of the product

‘Pagnotta del Dittaino’ PDO differs from other products of the same type, among other things, in the consistency of its crust and its light yellow, fine, compact and uniform crumb. Another characteristic of ‘Pagnotta del Dittaino’ PDO is its capacity to maintain its organoleptic properties, such as its aroma, taste and freshness, for five days.

In times gone by, the harvested grain used to be stored in special pits or storehouses and, naturally, protected from water. The cereal was not treated to protect against fungal infestations or against insect parasites. The grain would be taken to local mills for grinding as needed.

Today, durum wheat harvested in the defined area is just pre-cleaned to separate the grain from the straw and to remove impurities and foreign bodies and is then placed in silos and stored without the use of pesticides or chemical products. Only physical treatments are permitted at the mill (cooling with cold air and turning the grain).

These treatments prevent overheating of the grain, something that creates ideal conditions for the growth of mould, the formation of mycotoxins and the hatching of the eggs of insect parasites and that can even cause the germination of caryopses.

The natural leaven is derived from a starter that is renewed as necessary. This involves taking one part of starter and mixing it with two parts of flour and one part of water. After kneading, this produces four pieces of rising dough. One of these will serve as a renovated starter and the other three are added to the bread mixture as a natural leaven after being left to ripen for at least five hours.