Does baking powder react with the proteins in fresh pasta?

Some (few) recipes use baking powder as a dusting, especially before freezing. If it reacts with the proteins I think it would make them tougher (think wontons). It may be good then for pasta to be used in soups or consume. Thank you.

Scoobs
  • Posted by: Scoobs
  • March 12, 2014
  • 9555 views
  • 4 Comments

4 Comments

Maedl
Maedl March 13, 2014
I have used baking powder in Spätzle, but that is a much looser dough than pasta--and now that I use a mix of semolina and AP flour, the baking powder is unnecessary.
 
savorthis
savorthis March 13, 2014
I have heard of using baking powder in egg noodles where it makes more sense but I agree about using just semolia for dusting. Meanwhile, this is baking soda, but I found this a good read while researching chinese noodles: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/dining/15curious.html?_r=0
 
Maedl
Maedl March 12, 2014
Why would you use baking powder to dust fresh pasta? I would think it would add a bad taste. Usually you use flour or semolina to roll the pasta and that works well.
 
HalfPint
HalfPint March 12, 2014
I've never seen recipes using baking powder as a dusting agent. That said, I don't think the baking powder will toughen the dough because technically the pasta would be dried somewhat before it should go into the freezer (it needs drying time before it gets cooked). Also, baking powder needs a liquid to activate. If it's used for dusting, then there's very little chance that the acid in the baking powder can penetrate the dried surface of the pasta to toughen it.
 
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