5 days ago
British interpretation of cacio e pepe may not be authentic. But why not try something new?
Offended by a British food website's claim that the pasta dish known as cacio e pepe can be whipped up for a 'speedy lunch' using only four ingredients — spaghetti, pepper, parmesan and butter — tradition-conscious Italians have not only demanded a correction, but also taken up the matter with the British embassy in Rome. They argue the dish is made using only three ingredients, with no room for butter, cream or other such excesses. Secondly, they point out, the correct cheese for this classic Roman preparation is the region's famous pecorino. Does it matter that the authenticity so energetically defended may not even date back further than World War II?
Gastro-nationalism fuels much real and manufactured outrage, never mind food's stubborn resistance to being corralled by such things as national borders and cultural pride. The forces of history, from conquests and wars to trade and migration, have shaped almost every cuisine in the world today, and when claims of 'centuries-long traditions' are made, it is always best to take them with a pinch of salt. The prickliness about 'authentic' recipes has been especially notable in Italy, never mind the extensive work done by homegrown historians like Alberto Grandi and Luca Cesari to show that some of the most iconic Italian dishes of today, such as spaghetti carbonara and tiramisu, were created during the post-war boom, using decidedly modern — and frequently foreign — ingredients like powdered egg yolks from the US (in the former) and supermarket biscuits (in the latter).
Such revelations are certainly not as romantic as myths about recipes preserved over generations by vigilant grandmothers, but they're a healthy reminder of how stodgy conservatism can stifle a cuisine's creativity. A little butter (or cream) in cacio e pepe may not be 'authentic', but perhaps it could be the start of something new.
