Alkaline pasta/Recipes

Alkaline noodles		Yields 2 to 4 servings
Ingredients   4 tablespoons (¼ cup) baking soda 1½ cups semolina flour—it can be made with other flours but is most successful with semolina 6½ to 10 tablespoons water
Preparation: Put a piece of aluminum foil on a baking pan or cookie sheet and spread the baking soda evenly in a thin layer across the foil. Bake for 1 hour in a 250-degree oven. Remove and let cool. Carefully scrape the resultant sodium carbonate into an air-tight container or jar and set aside. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of the sodium carbonate in 6½ tablespoons of water. Cover the remaining sodium carbonate tightly and store for future use. Put the flour into a food processor. Turn on the processor and slowly add the water. Process for about a minute until it forms a tight ball. Depending on the dryness of the flour and the humidity in your kitchen, you may have to add additional water in order for it to form a ball. Add the additional water 1 tablespoon at a time and process again. When a pliable, non-crumbly ball has been formed, remove from the processor and knead for a minute or two. It should hold its shape but not be too sticky. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and let it rest for an hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
Notes: This has been adapted, with much rewriting, from Harold McGee's column, The Curious Cook: Achieving a Distinct Flavor, Without Going to Extremes, in the New York Times Dining section of Wednesday, September 15, 2010. It can also be found at McGee's werbsite, The Curious Cook.
Categories: Italian cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Pasta
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