some questions about salt and pasta

[formerly grueldelux]

These questions have probably been raised and answered a thousand times, but I remain in the dark.

Why isn't there salt in pasta? It clearly benefits from it, as we acknowledge with the generous fistfuls we put in our boiling water. Why isn't the salt directly in the dough? Does salt have a negative impact on the texture or chew? Is it suspected of being too granular? (If so, surely it could be dissolved in water first, at least in flour/water pasta and probably in flour/egg pasta too.)

Is it simply customary? If so, would the history be something like this: pasta was a peasant food and salt was precious so excluded, to be added later according to a cook's means? But salt is now cheap. Is it left out just because of tradition?

And what is believed to happen with the salt in the salty water we boil our noodles in? Does the dry noodle absorb the salinity somehow as it cooks? Or is the real purpose of salt in the water simply the creation of salty water? And if it's a clinging flavored water we want, why is the flavor or the clinging water almost always salt? Why not garlicky clinging water? Why don't we throw pepperoncini, a bouquet garni, or cheese rinds into our pots?

[formerly grueldelux]

Sorry, by pasta I mean "many commercial pastas." I gathered seven different packages from my cupboards. They ranged from 99 cent Ronzoni to $7/pound gourmet stuff. None have salt.

[Suzanne F]

Great question! Sorry I can't answer it. At least, not the one about why there's no salt in pasta dough. My guess is that it has something to do with the difficulty of dispersion throughout the dough, because salt is not fat-soluble, and the only other ingredients I know of in pasta are eggs and oil.

But regarding the pasta picking salt from the cooking water: try this experiment. Cook two batches of the same pasta, one in salted water and one without salt. Taste the pasta plain. You should definitely taste a difference: the one with salt will have more flavor (not of salt) and the one without will taste kind of flat. The salt dissolves in the cooking water, and is absorbed into the pasta -- not just sitting on the outside, but working its way through.

Try other experiments: add those other things to the cooking water, and see if the pasta picks up the flavors. Do let us know the results. (My guess is that it will.)

[Dave the Cook]

My guess is that it has something to do with the difficulty of dispersion throughout the dough, because salt is not fat-soluble, and the only other ingredients I know of in pasta are eggs and oil.

Well, there's flour and often water (and not always eggs, for that matter)...

It is a great question.

I think you're sort of on the right track, Suzanne. My guess would be that because salt is water soluble, and the concentration of salt in the pasta would be greater than the salt in the water, you'd end up flavoring the water with the pasta, rather than the other way 'round.

Edit: I'm not sure what the structural effects of having something more than just surface starch dissolve into your cooking medium might be. Also: there's the taste factor. Adding salt to the cooking water gives you far more flexibility in adjusting salt content of the final dish.

[Craig Camp]

Take a look here for quite a complete thread on the topic of salt and pasta.

[Craig Camp]

My guess is that it has something to do with the difficulty of dispersion throughout the dough, because salt is not fat-soluble, and the only other ingredients I know of in pasta are eggs and oil.

Well, there's flour and often water (and not always eggs, for that matter)...

Also: there's the taste factor. Adding salt to the cooking water gives you far more flexibility in adjusting salt content of the final dish.

Both reasons are indeed the answer.

[fifi]

This is one of those questions that makes me smack my forehead and wonder why I haven't thought of it. All of the discussion around salting the water hasn't answered the original question. Why isn't salt in the dough?

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Really Nice!]

This is one of those questions that makes me smack my forehead and wonder why I haven't thought of it. All of the discussion around salting the water hasn't answered the original question. Why isn't salt in the dough?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Because salt is first and foremost a perservative. It contains fantastic drying properties. The simple ingredients in the dough don't require it to dry the product to have a 'decent' shelf life. If salt were added to the dough it would be extremely brittle and pretty much unusable in a very short period of time.

Slightly off topic, when you look at the ingredients on a package that says "No Preservatives" and salt is the number one ingredient, it has preservatives that our forefathers, or mothers, used to preserve their food.

[elyse]

I would also imaging that salt absorbs or attracts water which would give you a 1lb. box shaped pasta. Especially since pasta is so starchy. No?

[fifi]

Makes sense to me. Question answered.

[melkor]

I always put salt in the dough when I'm making pasta. For two people: 100g semolina, a large pinch of salt, and an egg. I don't however cook it in salted water.

[tommy]

I would also imaging that salt absorbs or attracts water which would give you a 1lb. box shaped pasta.  Especially since pasta is so starchy.  No?

that's funny. and smart. good combo. nicely put.

Edited June 19, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Really Nice!]

I would also imaging that salt absorbs or attracts water which would give you a 1lb. box shaped pasta.  Especially since pasta is so starchy.  No?

huh?

[sparrowgrass]

Elyse, I think you got it. When I make pasta, I put some salt in it, unless I am planning to make enough to dry. Pasta with salt in it does not dry in this humid part of the world.

[elyse]

I'm smart! I love making sense. It happens so infrequently.

I was talking about mass produced pasta, not home made, by the way. For any who needed clarification.