Latest news with #ClaudioPica
Euronews
2 days ago
- General
- Euronews
Explained: How a pasta recipe is causing a UK-Italy diplomatic crisis
Last year, a tea-based fracas between the UK and the US threatened to brew up one hell of a storm. This year, 'perfidious Albion' is sizing up against Italy in a near-diplomatic crisis that could escalate... It all started with the wrong cheese and a rogue knob of butter. One of the UK's most popular food websites 'Good Food' (formerly BBC Good Food) has had the unabashed gall to call Roman cacio e pepe 'a speedy lunch', made with four ingredients: "spaghetti, pepper, parmesan and butter." Mamma mia, que dolor. Italians were outraged, and with good reason. Firstly, anyone who has ever attempted to make cacio e pepe knows that the process is anything but speedy and that the prep requires patience and skill. Whisking the cheese and pasta water to create the perfect emulsion doesn't come easy. After all, there's a reason it's such a popular dish. If you want to judge an Italian restaurant, it's the go-to order. If they get cacio e pepe right, then they're legit. If they mess it up with parmesan, for instance, then you're in the company of heathens. Secondly, the authentic Roman dish has just three ingredients: pasta (usually tonnarelli), black pepper, and pecorino Romano. Parmesan is a cardinal sin here, and there's certainly no butter. An innocent slip-up on behalf of the Brits? Maybe so. But then again there are rules, and no one messes with a traditional Italian pasta dish. The Italian media didn't let this culinary betrayal slide, with the Rome-based Il Messaggero writing: 'Paraphrasing the famous British anthem 'God save the king', Rome restaurateurs are now saying: 'God save the cacio e pepe'.' Then came the response of the president of Fiepet-Confesercenti (an association that represents Italian restaurants) in Rome and Lazio, Claudio Pica, who formally lodged a complaint. He has written to the media company Immediate Media, which publishes Good Food, and the British ambassador in Rome, Edward Llewellyn, for what he called an 'absurd mystification' of culinary tradition. Facing uproar, the website appears to have updated its recipe, restoring the sacred three ingredients. Phew... But not so fast. There is a tip online that suggests that struggling cooks can add double cream to help the sauce come together. Will they never learn??? As a journalist from public television RAI stated: "They always tell us we're not as good as the BBC... and then they do this. This is a very serious mistake. The suggestion to add cream made me cringe." No one tell them about how most Brits still make carbonara with cream. Otherwise, it could be war.
IOL News
5 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
No butter, no joke: Italians demand British embassy step in after pasta recipe backlash
Fiepet Confesercenti, the leading trade association for Italian restauranteurs, is demanding an official correction, claiming the British version disrespects Italian tradition. Imagine the British Embassy receiving an urgent letter - not about trade or diplomacy, but about butter in pasta. Who knew that a rogue knob of butter could spark a near-diplomatic crisis? Italian restaurateurs have protested in what they see as a high-culinary betrayal, and yes, the British Embassy may now be fielding more pasta complaints than trade inquiries. When the UK food website 'Good Food' (formerly BBC Good Food) called Roman cacio e pepe 'a speedy lunch' made with four ingredients, including butter and Parmesan, Italians were outraged. Purists pointed out that the authentic Roman dish has just three staples: pasta (often tonnarelli), black pepper, and pecorino Romano - no more, no less. Claudio Pica, president of Fiepet-Confesercenti in Rome and Lazio, formally lodged a protest - writing both to the media company Immediate Media, which publishes Good Food and the British ambassador in Rome for what he called an 'absurd mystification' of culinary tradition. Italian media had a field day. One newspaper, riffing on Britain's national anthem, quipped, 'God save the cacio e pepe'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
British Pasta Recipe Sparks Wave of Outrage in Italy
The British Broadcasting Corporation, or BBC, publishes recipes from around the world in the Food category on its website, including numerous pasta dishes from Italy. However, a recently published recipe for a traditional Roman pasta dish has sparked outrage among Italian restaurateurs. TRAVELBOOK reveals what it's all about. When it comes to their original recipes, Italians are famously uncompromising. Recently, an Australian restaurant chain caused a social media storm with its unconventional pizza creation featuring ham and oranges (TRAVELBOOK reported). And it's not uncommon for Italian restaurateurs to charge a penalty fee to guests who order a Hawaiian pizza. In the current case, it's a recipe for the traditional Roman pasta dish Cacio e Pepe, published by the BBC, that has drawn the ire of Italians. According to the Italian daily newspaper 'Il Messaggero,' the British are committing a 'mortal sin' in the eyes of Roman chefs by listing butter and Parmesan as basic ingredients. 'We Are Stunned' 'We are stunned when we read this recipe on the BBC website,' the newspaper quotes Claudio Pica, president of the Roman restaurant association Fiepet Confesercenti. 'We regret having to correct the venerable British medium, but the original and authentic recipe for Cacio e Pepe does not include Parmesan or butter. The ingredients are not four, but three: pasta, pepper, and Pecorino.' What particularly bothers him is the fact that the BBC presents the recipe as the original recipe—and not as a possible variation. 'We have asked the BBC website to correct the recipe and informed the British Embassy in Rome.' Another Cacio e Pepe Recipe Causes New Stir In the meantime, the BBC has indeed slightly modified the recipe and now lists Pecorino instead of Parmesan in the ingredients. However, butter is still listed as a basic ingredient. And now another recipe for Cacio e Pepe, also published on the BBC website, is causing new controversy. This one even recommends adding cream to make the sauce 'creamier.' 'The BBC even recommends Cacio e Pepe with cream—an affront to all Roman restaurateurs!' exclaims Claudio Pica in another report by 'Il Messaggero.' He then addresses King Charles II: 'Come to Rome—I invite you and will serve you a Cacio e Pepe according to all the rules of art and tradition.' Whether the King of England will accept this invitation is questionable. In any case, it remains to be seen whether the pasta dispute between London and Rome will go another round. The post British Pasta Recipe Sparks Wave of Outrage in Italy appeared first on TRAVELBOOK.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Cacio e pepe: Good Food pasta recipe sparks fury in Italy
Italians have reacted with fury after the popular UK Good Food website published a recipe for a traditional Roman dish that did not include the correct original ingredients and appeared to belittle it as a quick eat. Pasta cacio e pepe is a beloved Roman dish, renowned for being simple yet surprisingly challenging to make - so Good Food's description of it as something that can be quickly whipped up for "a speedy lunch" irritated many. The recipe also listed four ingredients - spaghetti, black pepper, parmesan and butter and suggested double cream as an option - when there should only be three: spaghetti, black pepper and pecorino cheese. Such was the outrage that an association representing restaurants in Italy took the issue up with the British embassy in Rome. One of Italy's food associations said they were "astonished" to see the recipe on such an esteemed British food site, which was owned by the BBC until 2024. Its president Claudio Pica said letters had been sent to Immediate Media, the site's owner, and UK ambassador Edward Llewellyn. Mr Pica said: "This iconic dish, traditionally from Rome and the Lazio region, has been a staple of Italian cuisine for years, so much so it has been replicated even beyond Italy's borders." He regretted contradicting the British site, but clarified that "the original recipe for cacio e pepe excludes parmesan and butter. There are not four ingredients, but three: pasta, pepper and pecorino". The furore has been widely covered in Italian media, with a journalist at public broadcaster RAI saying: "We are always told, you are not as good as the BBC… and then they go and do this. Such a grave mistake. The suggestion of adding some cream gave me goosebumps." The Good Food food brand was owned by BBC Studios (the BBC's commercial wing) until 2018, when it was sold to Immediate Media Co - with the BBC prefix being dropped from its name last year. While some chefs may experiment with the dish, the main concern is that the website misled readers by presenting its version as the original. Italians often mock foreigners for their interpretation of their recipes, but the indignation in this case is about something deeper: tampering with tradition. Maurizio and Loredana run a hotel in central Rome - it's been in their family for four generations. "You can do all the variations in the world – but you cannot use the original Italian name for them, said Maurizio. "You cannot say it is cacio e pepe if you put butter, oil and cream in it. Then it becomes something else." He added: "You have to yield to Caesar that which is Caesar's!" Giorgio Eramo runs a fresh pasta restaurant near St Peter's square - serving up cacio e pepe and other traditional pasta dishes. "It's terrible. It's not cacio e pepe... What Good Food published, with butter and parmesan, is called 'pasta Alfredo'. It's another kind of pasta," he said. On his restaurant's board of pastas, he offers cacio e pepe with lime - a variation. But he says that's ok. "It's different, it's for the summer, to make the pasta more fresh. But it doesn't impact the tradition. It's not like cream or butter. Lime is just a small change." Nicola, who runs a sandwich shop near the Vatican, took particular issue with the inclusion of cream. "Cacio e pepe should not be made with cream; cream is for desserts. For heaven's sake. Whoever uses cream does not know what cooking means." Italians often get angry when foreigners tinker with their food recipes - pizza with pineapple, cappuccino after midday or carbonara with cream, for example. Eleonora, who works at a busy cafe in central Rome, thinks it is probably not necessary for Italians to get so angry about something like this, but understands why they do. "Our tradition is based on food. So if you touch the only thing that we have, in all over the world… that can make us feel a bit sad." Good Food owners Immediate Media has been approached for comment.
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Cacio e pepe: Good Food pasta recipe sparks fury in Italy
Italians have reacted with fury after the popular UK Good Food website published a recipe for a traditional Roman dish that did not include the correct original ingredients and appeared to belittle it as a quick cacio e pepe is a beloved Roman dish, renowned for being simple yet surprisingly challenging to make - so Good Food's description of it as something that can be quickly whipped up for "a speedy lunch" irritated recipe also listed four ingredients - spaghetti, black pepper, parmesan and butter and suggested double cream as an option - when there should only be three: spaghetti, black pepper and pecorino cheese. Such was the outrage that an association representing restaurants in Italy took the issue up with the British embassy in of Italy's food associations said they were "astonished" to see the recipe on such an esteemed British food site, which was owned by the BBC until 2024. Its president Claudio Pica said letters had been sent to Immediate Media, the site's owner, and UK ambassador Edward Pica said: "This iconic dish, traditionally from Rome and the Lazio region, has been a staple of Italian cuisine for years, so much so it has been replicated even beyond Italy's borders."He regretted contradicting the British site, but clarified that "the original recipe for cacio e pepe excludes parmesan and butter. There are not four ingredients, but three: pasta, pepper and pecorino".The furore has been widely covered in Italian media, with a journalist at public broadcaster RAI saying: "We are always told, you are not as good as the BBC… and then they go and do this. Such a grave mistake. The suggestion of adding some cream gave me goosebumps."The Good Food food brand was owned by BBC Studios (the BBC's commercial wing) until 2018, when it was sold to Immediate Media Co - with the BBC prefix being dropped from its name last year. While some chefs may experiment with the dish, the main concern is that the website misled readers by presenting its version as the original. Italians often mock foreigners for their interpretation of their recipes, but the indignation in this case is about something deeper: tampering with and Loredana run a hotel in central Rome - it's been in their family for four generations. "You can do all the variations in the world – but you cannot use the original Italian name for them, said Maurizio. "You cannot say it is cacio e pepe if you put butter, oil and cream in it. Then it becomes something else."He added: "You have to yield to Caesar that which is Caesar's!"Giorgio Eramo runs a fresh pasta restaurant near St Peter's square - serving up cacio e pepe and other traditional pasta dishes."It's terrible. It's not cacio e pepe... What Good Food published, with butter and parmesan, is called 'pasta Alfredo'. It's another kind of pasta," he his restaurant's board of pastas, he offers cacio e pepe with lime - a variation. But he says that's ok."It's different, it's for the summer, to make the pasta more fresh. But it doesn't impact the tradition. It's not like cream or butter. Lime is just a small change." Nicola, who runs a sandwich shop near the Vatican, took particular issue with the inclusion of cream."Cacio e pepe should not be made with cream; cream is for desserts. For heaven's sake. Whoever uses cream does not know what cooking means."Italians often get angry when foreigners tinker with their food recipes - pizza with pineapple, cappuccino after midday or carbonara with cream, for who works at a busy cafe in central Rome, thinks it is probably not necessary for Italians to get so angry about something like this, but understands why they do."Our tradition is based on food. So if you touch the only thing that we have, in all over the world… that can make us feel a bit sad."Good Food owners Immediate Media has been approached for comment.
