Mushroom powder pasta?

Would it work to mix some mushroom powder (finely processed dehydrated mushrooms) with flour when making homemade pasta? Has anyone tried this?

I did homemade pasta for the first time last week, and now I think I’m going to be obsessed … [training.gif]

I’ve never tried it. I’d say go for it. People add many things to pasta. Might go well with a cream sauce.

I am thinking about doing something similar with beet powder. After watching videos of Salty Seattle and colored pasta, I think I will reconstitute the powder first using either water or egg.

I was considering reconstituting with water, too, but mentally decided not to because water isn’t a pasta ingredient. thought about reconstituting with egg, but wasn’t sure that would work. … will watch the video now; thanks for posting!

Is it advisable to process the eggs that much? I followed Marcela Hazan’s directions, and she just said to beat the eggs with a fork for a few seconds.

My GUESS is it would work but why? Plain pasta, and toss with some sauté mushrooms finished in a little Madeira would be quicker way to a mushroom fix.
Perhaps it’s a component in a more elaborate dish? That could be v interesting.
Where I do use mushroom dust is on a seared tuna.

I think Marcella’s directions are for making a well on your work surface, and beat the eggs in that well. I don’t read her instructions as a caution not to over-beat the eggs. (She usually issues a direct caution when she thinks one should not do something. For example, she would never add squid ink!)

My thought about reconstituting the powder in a liquid is to better integrate the flavor into the pasta.
If you add it in as you knead the dough, you could get a speckled look which might be fun and provide a better appearance than ‘brown’ pasta.


By the way… if you really follow Marcella’s directions, she would only add spinach.

You have her correct, and that’s how I went about it. I may have erroneously read-into her instructions an implication that is not there. You’re right about her opinion re: squid ink, too — an opinion I strongly disagree with.


My thought about reconstituting the powder in a liquid is to better integrate the flavor into the pasta.
If you add it in as you knead the dough, you could get a speckled look which might be fun and provide a better appearance than ‘brown’ pasta.

My only concern is the added moisture would result in the need for more flour which might throw-off the texture(?). I dunno … newhere !

By the way… if you really follow Marcella’s directions, she would only add spinach.

True. But what’s the fun in that!?! [berserker.gif]

I love squid ink pasta. It goes against so many culinary rules but is still fun to eat, especially in a seafood based sauce.
Hope you take and post some photos.

I bought an imported porcini pasta some years ago from Buon Italia. Didn’t like it very much but it functions as a proof of concept.

After watching videos of Salty Seattle

She’s amazingly talented…

What didn’t you like about it, Jay?

I would think this would ‘work’ if you processed the powder finely and consistently enough, and didn’t use too much. It would probably take a bit of experimentation to determine what too much is, and if you can add real flavor below that level. It might be that it doesn’t take much powder to mess with the texture of the pasta – wouldn’t surprise me. But I can’t say as I really know.

However, I’m having trouble envisioning a dish where I’d want to do this in preference to either just adding sauteed mushrooms, or using powder to thicken the sauce.

I am a big fan of mushroom powder dusted on a chop prior to searing. Got a pretty reasonable stock of dried boletes from the last couple of months – been a good mushrooming season here in the Northwest.

My worries, as well.

However, I’m having trouble envisioning a dish where I’d want to do this in preference to either just adding sauteed mushrooms, or using powder to thicken the sauce.

Very good point, and I don’t have a good answer for you. I guess it’s just a culinary challenge, and oddity of interest, more than anything else. :slight_smile:

I am a big fan of mushroom powder dusted on a chop prior to searing. Got a pretty reasonable stock of dried boletes from the last couple of months – been a good mushrooming season here in the Northwest.

mmmmm … I’m going to try this! [cheers.gif]

Oh, you’re asking me to remember 6 years ago. All I recall is that Arnold liked it more than I did so I didn’t tell him when I threw the rest of it out.

Lol!! Fair enough.

I have used dried porcini mixed with flour to dredge veal or chicken cutlets but have never used it for homemade pasta. Very interested in your results.


Cheers!
Marshall [cheers.gif]

As Marshall says, it’s best if you throw some flour or other starch in the mix. I’ll do course ground corn meal for a particularly rustic pork chop.

I’m late to this thread, but I can vouch for Salty Seattle’s method of blending the colorant/flavoring with the eggs. It makes for a more consistent product. I tried adding the powder to the flour first, but hers worked a little better.

Super late to this but just in case the OP didn’t do it, go for it.

I add things to pasta all the time. Both savory and sweet. I’ve blended sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, fresh herbs, dried fruits, dried vegetables, peanut butter powder, spices, cocoa, etc. You need to play around for a while to figure out how much of everything to use. The easiest way to do it is to find freeze dried items and pulverize them in a blender with some of your flour. Then mix that into the remaining flour and you’re good to go. It’s a lot easier than mixing with water first. If you have things like porcini powder, you can just incorporate that into the flour before adding the eggs. I’ve never added anything simply for color, so can’t talk to that.

And unless you’re making something sweet, make sure to put salt into the dough. People get a huge pot and salt the water and I never understood that since you’re just going to pour it out. If you add sufficient salt to the pasta dough, you can use unsalted water to cook it and it comes out better anyway.

Salt CAN affect gluten development if you’re doing bread, but it’s not a problem with pasta.