qqu wrote:
>
> As far as I know, pasta is made of DURUM WHEAT.
>
> What is exactly the difference between durum wheat and ordinary wheat?

There is no such thing as "ordinary" wheat... there are many specific
strains of wheat. Durum is but one high gluten wheat, fine for breads
and pastas but not recommended for cake and pastry. Typically wheat
flour is a blend of various types of wheat, rare is durum used
exclusively except as semolina for pasta and a particular very dense
bread, but even then the flour used is not pure durum, it's typically
a blend containing mostly durum, because with particular pastas
different properties are desired, ie, rolled and cut pastas and
extruded pastas require different properties

> Is it possible to make pasta with ordinary wheat?

Assuming by "ordinary" you mean "all purpose wheat flour", which is a
blend of both hard and soft wheats... it will also produce excellent
pastas. Wheat flours are a blend because every season's wheat crop
has different properties, like how orange juice is a blend of 3-4
different types of oranges.