Fecola and Starches: The ‘Wizards’ You Can’t Do Without in the Kitchen
If flour is the architecture that shapes your dishes and salt is the soul that ignites their flavours, then starch is undoubtedly the ‘wizard of consistency’.
We often keep it in the pantry, forgotten in a corner, only bringing it out when a cake needs to be particularly light and airy. But just as we’ve learned with chillies or eggs, knowing the right ingredient makes the difference between a mediocre dish and a truly straporito one.
Starch or Flour? Let’s Clarify
Many use them interchangeably, but there’s a slight technical difference related to their extraction and chemical structure: starch is extracted from tubers, while flour is from cereals.
However, in the kitchen, their superpower is the same: they are natural thickeners that work “behind the scenes” to give us velvety creams and melt-in-your-mouth cakes.
The Pantry Stars
Here are the most common types you can easily find:
| Type | Origin | Characteristics | Recommended Use |
| Potato Starch | Tubers | Neutral, makes batters incredibly light. | Sponge cakes, bundt cakes, gnocchi. |
| Cornflour (Corn Starch) | Cereals | Powerful thickener, matte finish. | Sauces, veloutรฉs, puddings. |
| Rice Starch | Cereals | Very delicate and impalpable. | Pastry creams, baby food. |
| Wheat Starch | Cereals | Similar to cornflour, but contains gluten. | Sweet leavened goods and creams. |
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Practical Tips to Avoid ‘Messing Up’ with Starch
Just like when preparing the perfect coffee, using starch requires a method. Here’s how to use it without creating those dreaded lumps:
- Never directly into heat: If you need to thicken a simmering sauce, don’t just sprinkle in the starch. Dissolve it first in a tiny bit of cold water or milk.
- The secret to lightness: Replace one-third of the flour called for in a recipe with potato starch. Your apple cake will become so light it’ll feel like a cloud.
- Crispy fried food: Try coating meat or vegetables in cornflour instead of plain flour. You’ll achieve a light and crispy golden finish.
Where to Find It?
Nowadays, starch and flours are available in every supermarket, usually in the flour aisle or the section dedicated to cake mixes.
If you’re looking for more unusual varieties (like tapioca starch or maranta starch), health food shops or those specialising in gluten-free products are your ideal destinations.
The Straporito Tip ๐จโ๐ณ
Run out of eggs, or want to make a recipe vegan?
Two tablespoons of potato starch mixed with two tablespoons of water can replace one egg in many sweet recipes, acting as a perfect natural binder.
And you, are you a Cornflour fan or do you prefer classic Potato Starch? Do you have any secret tips for thickening your sauces? Let us know in the comments below and let’s make this community even tastier!
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