Turmeric
Also known as: Ground turmeric, Curcuma
Spice from the rhizome of Curcuma longa: a pinch of ground turmeric makes egg noodles, Spätzle and lemon pasta a deeper yellow.
Turmeric is a spice made from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, a plant of the ginger family, and in pasta it is used in tiny amounts to make the dough a deeper yellow. Its colour comes from curcumin, a natural pigment.
The rhizomes are boiled or steamed, dried and ground into an orange-yellow powder; India is by far the largest producer. In pasta the powder is simply mixed into the flour, usually well under 1% — La Fabbrica della Pasta declares 0.5% in its lemon pasta.
Turmeric appears mainly in three kinds of products. Polish egg noodles such as AS Babuni and Lubella Krajanka, Nitki or Makarony Polskie list it after the egg mass, so the noodles look richly yellow whatever the number of eggs. German egg Spätzle and gnocchi, for example from Settele and Bürger, use it the same way. In Italy La Fabbrica della Pasta combines it with Limone di Sorrento PGI lemon juice in linguine, pennette and scialatielli al limone; Misko adds it to protein pasta with pea protein, and Marilungo makes fettuccine alla curcuma.
At this dose turmeric hardly changes taste, although it can add a faint earthy, peppery note. The yellow colour tells you nothing about the egg content: check the percentage of egg in the ingredient list.
As a spice, turmeric is labelled as an ingredient under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011; the isolated pigment curcumin is a food additive, E 100, under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. Turmeric is not among the 14 major allergens.
Facts
| Raw material | Boiled, dried and ground rhizome of Curcuma longa |
|---|---|
| Country | India is the largest producer |
| Main use | Deeper yellow in egg noodles, Spätzle, lemon and protein pasta (usually under 1%) |
| Taste | Faintly earthy and peppery |
How it connects to Pasta
Turmeric → kind of → Pasta ingredients and composition → kind of → 🍝 Pasta
Links
- Where it is found
- Lubella Gwiazdki 2-jajeczne, Lubella Koraliki 2-jajeczne, Lubella Krajaneczka 2-jajeczna, Lubella Krajanka 2-jajeczna, Lubella Ryż 2-jajeczny, Lubella Fale 4-jajeczne, Lubella Krajaneczka 4-jajeczna, Lubella Świderki 4-jajeczne, Lubella Krajanka 5-jajeczna, Lubella Nitki 5-jajeczne
and 38 more
Lubella Wstążki 5-jajeczne, Lubella Nitki z Jajami Przepiórczymi, Makarony Polskie Nitki Zawijane, Makarony Polskie Wstążki Zawijane, AS Babuni Krojony Grubo, AS Babuni Krajanka 4-jajeczna, AS Babuni Krajanka Jajeczna, AS Babuni Krajanka 2-jajeczna, AS Babuni Krajanka 4-jajeczna z Siemieniem Lnianym, AS Babuni Wstążki Jajeczne, AS Babuni Wstążki 4-jajeczne, AS Babuni Wstążeczki 4-jajeczne, AS Babuni Nitki Jajeczne, AS Babuni Niteczki 4-jajeczne, AS Babuni Niteczki 12 Jaj Przepiórczych, AS Babuni Łezki 4-jajeczne, AS Babuni Kluski Jajeczne, AS Babuni Kluseczki 4-jajeczne, AS Babuni Zacierka 2-jajeczna, AS Babuni Rurki, AS Babuni Pappardelle, AS Babuni Lasagne, AS Babuni Wstążki, AS Babuni Spaghetti, AS Babuni Świderki, AS Babuni Fale, AS Babuni Nitki, Misko Protein Spaghetti, Misko Protein Penne Rigate, Settele Bio Eier-Spätzle, La Fabbrica della Pasta Fiori Positano al limone, La Fabbrica della Pasta Pennette al limone, La Fabbrica della Pasta Riccioli al limone, La Fabbrica della Pasta Linguine al limone, La Fabbrica della Pasta Scialatielli al bronzo al limone, La Fabbrica della Pasta Gigli della Costiera al limone, Marilungo Fettuccine alla Curcuma, Bürger Bio Mini-Gnocchi - Part of
- Pasta ingredients and composition
- Similar and different
- 🥚 Chicken egg
Frequently asked questions
Why is turmeric added to egg noodles?
To deepen the yellow colour. A pinch of turmeric makes noodles look rich and golden, so check the egg percentage on the label rather than judging by colour.
Can you taste turmeric in pasta?
Hardly. At well under 1% it gives at most a faint earthy, peppery note.
Is it true that turmeric in pasta is the same as the additive E 100?
Not exactly. Ground turmeric is a spice listed by name as an ingredient; E 100 is curcumin, the pigment extracted from it and used as a food additive.
What to read next
- Misko Protein Spaghetti — Misko Protein Spaghetti: long dry pasta with a round cross-section by Misko (Misko Protein range); ingredients: durum wheat semolina, pea protein and turmeric.
- 🥚 Chicken egg — The egg of the domestic hen: in pasta it gives yellow colour, an elastic dough and protein, and in the EU it must be highlighted on labels as an allergen.
- Misko Protein Penne Rigate — Misko Protein Penne Rigate: short tube-shaped dry pasta by Misko (Misko Protein range); ingredients: durum wheat semolina, pea protein and turmeric.
- Marilungo Fettuccine alla Curcuma — Marilungo Fettuccine alla Curcuma: dry egg pasta in ribbons rolled into nests by Marilungo (Marilungo Pasta all'uovo range).
- Bürger Bio Mini-Gnocchi — Bürger Bio Mini-Gnocchi: potato gnocchi, small soft dumplings by Bürger (Bürger Gnocchi range); ingredients: potatoes (58%), wheat flour, whole egg, sea salt, potato starch, sunflower oil, turmeric.
Similar
Wheat flour · Pea flour · 🥚 Chicken egg · Fava bean flour · Barley flour · Durum wheat germ
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers (EUR-Lex)
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives (EUR-Lex)
- USDA FoodData Central — Spices, turmeric, ground