Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

PASTA

‘Disgusting knockoffs’: Italians warn foreign cooks over carbonara recipes

After recent "disturbing" adaptations of the classic spaghetti carbonara recipe left Italians outraged, the country's gourmands have reminded foreigners attempting the dish to "keep things simple".

Published: 6 April 2021 18:44 CEST
'Disgusting knockoffs': Italians warn foreign cooks over carbonara recipes
Spaghetti alla carbonara at Carbonara Day 2019 in Rome. Photo by Andreas Solaro/AFP

“The secret to a good carbonara… is more about what you don’t put in it, rather than what you put in it,” food journalist and carbonara expert Eleonora Cozzella told AFP on Tuesday.

She was speaking in Rome at the launch of “CarbonaraDay,” a once-a-year online marathon of carbonara-themed events organised by Italy’s pasta-makers’ association.

READ ALSO: The recipe for a classic Italian spaghetti carbonara

Classic pasta alla carbonara, typical of Rome and its surrounding Lazio region, is made with eggs, pork cheek (guanciale), pecorino cheese and pepper – and, as any Italian will tell you, absolutely no cream.

As you might expect, many Italian cooks get touchy when ingredients are changed or added to the mix – often saying anything that deviates from the classic recipe should not be called carbonara.

There was outrage earlier this year when the New York Times’ cooking supplement featured a “Tomato Carbonara” recipe, which included tomatoes along with the eggs, and replaced pork cheek and pecorino with bacon and parmesan.

Coldiretti, a farming association, called the US newspaper’s recipe “a disturbing knockoff of the prestigious dish from Italian popular tradition,” and complained that carbonara was “one of the most disfigured Italian recipes”.

But some gourmands are more tolerant of carbonara adaptations, pointing out that the recipe has evolved over time.

The dish was developed in Rome towards the end of World War II, when US soldiers brought bacon to Italy.

A spokesman for the pasta-makers association, Matteo de Angelis, said some old Italian recipes for carbonara – from the 1950s – included incongruous ingredients such as garlic and gruyere cheese.

READ ALSO:

Cozzella said she is “never scandalised” by unorthodox variations on carbonara. But she added: “Some versions may be seen as a homage, and other ones more as an insult.”

“The important thing is never to cross the line that betrays the spirit of the dish.”

“The problem is never tradition versus innovation, but tradition versus betrayal,” she concluded.

You can find the classic carbonara recipe here.

A chef prepares traditional spaghetti alla carbonara during Carbonara Day 2019 (#CarbonaraDay) in Rome. Photo by Andreas Solaro/AFP.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

FOOD AND DRINK

Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

As well as its most famous cocktails, Italy has a long tradition of making refreshing aperitivo drinks without the alcohol.

Published: 11 April 2024 12:01 CEST
Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

Italy’s favourite aperitivo-hour cocktails are known far beyond the country’s borders, so their names will probably be familiar to you whether you drink them or not.

But if you’re in Italy and not drinking alcohol, you might find yourself stumped when it comes time to order your aperitivo at the bar.

The first time I found myself in this situation, there was no menu. The waiter instead rattled off a long list of all the soft drinks available, most of which I’d never heard of, and I just picked something I thought sounded nice.

Luckily it turns out that Italy has some great options for an aperitivo analcolico. As well as ‘virgin’ versions of well-known cocktails, there are bitters, sodas and other Italian-made soft drinks that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

They might not be quite as iconic as the Aperol Spritz, but they’re as thoroughly Italian – plus, effortlessly ordering one of these will make you look like a true local.

SanBittèr

San Pellegrino’s SanBittèr is one of the most famous non-alcoholic Italian drinks of all, with its highly-recognisable red packaging, often enjoyed in place of Campari cocktails because of its similar dark, ruby-red color.

This drink is carbonated with a slightly sweet, citrus flavor. The recipe is more complex than that of an orange or lemon soda, with notes of spice and herbs, making it ideal to pair with your aperitivo-hour snacks.

Crodino

Crodino looks a lot like an Aperol Spritz with its bright orange hue, and that’s not an accident: it’s said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative, and the zesty, slightly herbal taste is similar. It’s typically served the same way. in a round goblet glass over ice with a slice of orange: a Crodino Spritz.

The name comes from the town of Crodo in Piedmont, where it is still bottled today by the Campari group.

Chinotto

Citrusy Chinotto is an acquired taste for many, but it’s worth trying: it’s one of the classic Italian bitters and is said to have a long history, dating back to a recipe shared by Chinese sailors arriving on the Ligurian coast in the 1500s.

It may look a little like Coca Cola, but don’t let the appearance fool you.

(Photo by Eugene Gologursky /Getty Images via AFP)

Aranciata/Limonata

Aranciata is Italy’s version of an orange soda, but not as sugary, and it tastes like oranges. Its base is sparkling water with the addition of orange juice and sugar. There are various brands, but San Pellegrino’s is the most popular. It also sells a ‘bitter’ aranciata amaro, with even less sugar, more citrus tang and herbal notes, which might be more aperitivo-hour appropriate.

Limonata is, as you might guess, the Italian answer to lemonade. Again there are many versions out there but the fizzy San Pellegrino limonata is beloved for its strong, sweet-sour flavour and there’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Cedrata

Cedrata is one of Italy’s oldest and best-known non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a refreshing, carbonated drink made from a large citrus fruit called a cedro, grown in southern Italy. It’s far less bitter than a Chinotto, but not as sweet as limonata.

The main producer of Cedrata today is Tassoni, and this is what you’re likely to get if you order it at a bar.

Gingerino

This is harder to find than the other aperitivi on the list and is seen as decidedly retro, but it’s worth trying if you can track it down.

It’s another orange-coloured, sparkling drink which became popular in Italy in the 1970s and is still sold today, though you’re more likely to find it in the north-east, close to Venice, where it’s produced.

You may be expecting it to taste a lot like ginger beer, and there are similarities, but it has stronger citrus notes and more bitterness.

SHOW COMMENTS