Italian pizza chef, Marco Fuso, is launching his MFP Red flour six months ahead of schedule, following the success of the MFP Blue product.
Launched seven months ago, pizza makers and restaurants have responded positively to the Blue version, as it retains Italian characteristics, despite production in the UK. Blue is suitable for both short and medium fermentation and has different characteristics. The wheat quality delivers silky, smooth dough, while the high absorption process makes it one of the most performant flours in the industry. The wheat blends also make it suitable for Roman and Neopolitan styles of pizza.
MFP Red is the strong version, ideal for long fermentation and products that need more structure – i.e. pizza al taglio, and focaccia. Red also offers Italian preferment, called ‘Biga’. Characteristics include more flavour to the final product, digestibility and lightness.
“Red was born after careful analysis of the UK market,” said Fuso. “There wasn’t a great flour available for long fermentation and Biga processes.
“As lots of Italian pizza makers here know, there has never been a pizza flour retaining Italian characteristics when being milled in the UK – until now! My challenge is to keep working on it, while letting customers understand that you can get excellent pizza, with an authentic Italian soul, from our flour.
“Bellavita and the European Pizza & Pasta Show [EPPS] organise an annual competition where exhibitors can introduce a product and receive a rating from an international judge. Red was given three stars and awarded ‘Taste explosion’ in a best food category.
“This adventure is incredible. There are lots of pizzerias that believe in the process, but many are still scared to try a UK-milled product,” continued Fuso.
“One of my biggest satisfactions has been collaborating with different UK suppliers, who have introduced my flours to their product range. We are easily working with more than 500 pizzerias nationwide.
“There were a huge number of visitors at EPPS, and I will attend next year for sure. And there will potentially be new products there too. The next step is opening my first pizzeria in London.”
The Red range is available from August.
