Quick-cooking macaroni products and process

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR PREPARING QUICK COOKING MACARONI PRODUCTS WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: A. COMBINING A DRY, AT LEAST PARTIALLY PRECOOKED WHEAT FLOUR, HAVING FROM 20 PERCENT TO ABOUT 60 PERCENT GELATINIZATION, WITH WATER AND OTHER OPTIIONAL DOUGH INGREDIENTS TO FORM A MANAGEABLE DOUGH, THE PRECOOKED FLOUR BEING PRESENT AT A LEVEL SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE COHESIVENESS IN THE DOUGH TO PERMIT PROPER HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS HAVING THE FORMING OPERATION, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME INSURING A MACARONI PRODUCT WHICH WILL REHYDRATE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE AND A HALF FOLLOWING THE ADDITION THERETO OF BOILING WATER; B. FORMING THE DOUGH INTO PIECES OF THE DESIRED CONFIGURATION; AND C. DRYING THE DOUGH PIECES.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR PREPARING QUICK COOKING MACARONI PRODUCTS WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: A. COMBINING A DRY, AT LEAST PARTIALLY PRECOOKED WHEAT FLOUR, HAVING FROM 20 PERCENT TO ABOUT 60 PERCENT GELATINIZATION, WITH WATER AND OTHER OPTIIONAL DOUGH INGREDIENTS TO FORM A MANAGEABLE DOUGH, THE PRECOOKED FLOUR BEING PRESENT AT A LEVEL SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE COHESIVENESS IN THE DOUGH TO PERMIT PROPER HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS HAVING THE FORMING OPERATION, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME INSURING A MACARONI PRODUCT WHICH WILL REHYDRATE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE AND A HALF FOLLOWING THE ADDITION THERETO OF BOILING WATER; B. FORMING THE DOUGH INTO PIECES OF THE DESIRED CONFIGURATION; AND C. DRYING THE DOUGH PIECES.

Claim 3

A method for making quick cooking macaroni products which comprises the steps of: a. combining a farinaceous ingredient, at least 50 percent of which is from wheat and including a pre-cooked wheat flour, having from 20 percent to about 60 percent gelatinization, with water to provide a manageable dough having a moisture level of 35 to 43 percent, the precooked flour being present at a level sufficient to provide cohesiveness in the dough to permit proper handling characteristics during the forming operation, while at the same time insuring a macaroni product which will rehydrate in less than a minute and a half following the addition thereto of boiling water; b. forming the dough into pieces of the desired configuration; and c. drying the dough pieces.

Claim 4

A method for making quick cooking macaroni products which comprises the steps of: a. combining a farinaceous ingredient, at least 50 percent of which is from wheat and including a pre-cooked wheat flour, having from 20 percent to about 60 percent gelatinization, with water to provide a manageable dough having a moisture level of 35 to 43 percent, the precooked flour being present at a level sufficient to provide cohesiveness in the dough to permit proper handling characteristics during the forming operation, while at the same time insuring a macaroni product which will rehydrate in less than a minute and a half following the addition thereto of boiling water; b. forming the dough into pieces of the desired configuration; and c. drying the dough pieces.

Claim 5

A method for making quick-cooking noodles which comprises the steps of: a. precooking a wheat flour to achieve from 20 percent to about 60 percent gelatinization, followed by drying and grinding thereof; b. combining the precooked flour with at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of semolina, farina, corn flour, wheat flour, tapioca flour and potato flour to provide a flour component, at least 50 percent of which is derived from wheat, the precooked flour being present at a level sufficient to provide cohesiveness in the dough to permit proper handling characteristics during the forming operation, while at the same time insuring a macaroni product which will rehydrate in less than a minute and a half following the addition thereto of boiling water; c. adding water to the mixture resulting from (b) above and mixing to provide a dough, sufficient water being added to provide a moisture level in the dough of 38-43 percent; d. extruding, folding, calendering and cutting the dough to provide dough pieces of about 1/16 X 1/2 X 0.028 + or -0.002 inch thick; and e. drying the dough pieces at about 140*-260*F to a final moisture content of less than 6 percent.

Claim 6

A method for making quick-cooking noodles which comprises the steps of: a. precooking a wheat flour to achieve from 20 percent to about 60 percent gelatinization, followed by drying and grinding thereof; b. combining the precooked flour with at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of semolina, farina, corn flour, wheat flour, tapioca flour and potato flour to provide a flour component, at least 50 percent of which is derived from wheat, the precooked flour being present at a level sufficient to provide cohesiveness in the dough to permit proper handling characteristics during the forming operation, while at the same time insuring a macaroni product which will rehydrate in less than a minute and a half following the addition thereto of boiling water; c. adding water to the mixture resulting from (b) above and mixing to provide a dough, sufficient water being added to provide a moisture level in the dough of 38-43 percent; d. extruding, folding, calendering and cutting the dough to provide dough pieces of about 1/16 X 1/2 X 0.028 + or -0.002 inch thick; and e. drying the dough pieces at about 140*-260*F to a final moisture content of less than 6 percent.

Claim 12

A method for making quick-cooking noodles which comprises the steps of: a. providing a farinaceous ingredient, at least 50 percent of which is derived from wheat and including a precooked wheat flour, the flour being 20 percent to about 60 percent gelatinized, the precooked flour being present at a level sufficient to provide cohesiveness in the dough to permit proper handling characteristics during the forming operation, while at the same time insuring a macaroni product which will rehydrate in less than a minute and a half following the addition thereto of boiling water; b. adding water to the mixture of (a) to provide a moisture level of 35-43 percent; c. mixing to form a dough; d. forming the dough into noodles; and e. drying the noodles at 220*-260*F to a moisture content of less than 6 percent.

Claim 13

A method for making quick-cooking noodles which comprises the steps of: a. providing a farinaceous ingredient, at least 50 percent of which is derived from wheat and including a precooked wheat flour, the flour being 20 percent to about 60 percent gelatinized, the precooked flour being present at a level sufficient to provide cohesiveness in the dough to permit proper handling characteristics during the forming operation, while at the same time insuring a macaroni product which will rehydrate in less than a minute and a half following the addition thereto of boiling water; b. adding water to the mixture of (a) to provide a moisture level of 35-43 percent; c. mixing to form a dough; d. forming the dough into noodles; and e. drying the noodles at 220*-260*F to a moisture content of less than 6 percent.

Claim 21

A method for making quick-cooking noodles which comprises the steps of: a. precooking a wheat flour to achieve from 20 percent to about 60 percent gelatinization, followed by drying and grinding thereof; b. combining the precooked flour with at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of semolina, farina, corn flour, wheat flour, tapioca flour and potato flour to provide a flour component, at least 50 percent of which is derived from wheat, the precooked flour being present at a level sufficient to provide cohesiveness in the dough to permit proper handling characteristics during the forming operation, while at the same time insuring a macaroni product which will rehydrate in less than a minute and a half following the addition thereto of boiling water; c. adding water to the mixture resulting from (b) above and mixing to provide a dough, sufficient water being added to provide a moisture level in the dough of 38-43 percent; d. extruding and cutting the dough to provide ring shaped dough pieces having an outside diameter of about 0.21 inch, a length of about 0.045 inch and a wall thickness of about 0.020 inch; and e. drying the dough pieces at about 245*-250*F to a final moisture content of about 5 percent.

Claim 22

A method for making quick-cooking noodles which comprises the steps of: a. precooking a wheat flour to achieve from 20 percent to about 60 percent gelatinization, followed by drying and grinding thereof; b. combining the precooked flour with at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of semolina, farina, corn flour, wheat flour, tapioca flour and potato flour to provide a flour component, at least 50 percent of which is derived from wheat, the precooked flour being present at a level sufficient to provide cohesiveness in the dough to permit proper handling characteristics during the forming operation, while at the same time insuring a macaroni product which will rehydrate in less than a minute and a half following the addition thereto of boiling water; c. adding water to the mixture resulting from (b) above and mixing to provide a dough, sufficient water being added to provide a moisture level in the dough of 38-43 percent; d. extruding and cutting the dough to provide ring shaped dough pieces having an outside diameter of about 0.21 inch, a length of about 0.045 inch and a wall thickness of about 0.020 inch; and e. drying the dough pieces at about 245*-250*F to a final moisture content of about 5 percent.