In the last few weeks, my Facebook homepage was literally flooded with comments on a video, originally shared by a french website, that shows how to make "pasta alla Carbonara" by simply putting all the ingredients in a pot with boiling water and adding a raw egg on top at the end.
While the world seemed stunned by the simplicity and tastyness of the recipe, Italians all around the globe raised an lament of horror and started an infinite number of conversations about it, amplifying the already huge stereotype of Italians being very touchy and oversensitive about their food.
Oddly, imho this is not just a stereotype and most importantly, it's not something I am offended by.
It's true: you could question everything about our Country, from politics to economy, just don't question our culinary traditions.
If you ever had an Italian friend or housemate or you spent some time in Italy, you may know that almost 50% of our daily conversations with friends and family revolve around the meals we had or we are about to prepare. For us, food is not just something we eat to survive, it is a huge part of our culture, it's bonding, it's a status symbol. It speaks volumes about the city or town we were born or raised in, about our family heritage and the stories that our grandmas passed on, alongside the recipes.
The "pasta alla Carbonara" is one of those recipes that hold within amazing stories and misteries about their origins or their name, there are at least 5 or 6 theories about it and many towns claim to be its birthplace. There are also some internal "feuds" about the runnyness of the egg, the use of bacon instead of cheeklard, which type of pasta is the best for the recipe and so on... and mind that this is one of the simplest recipe we have!
One thing we all agree on: bacon must be crunchy and not mushy - so it must not be boiled- and the egg must be incorporated as a sauce and not as a garnish!
You see, this is not about the recipe: this is about the continuity of the Italian habit to take the time to care about every single detail. Preparing a meal, for us, is not about putting everything together and be done in 5 minutes, it's about tasting and enjoying every step of the process, maybe while drinking a glass of wine or talking to our friends and family for whom we are cooking - even on the phone if they're away.
So if you want to learn how to cook "italian", learn how to care italian: that's one recipe that never fails!
While the world seemed stunned by the simplicity and tastyness of the recipe, Italians all around the globe raised an lament of horror and started an infinite number of conversations about it, amplifying the already huge stereotype of Italians being very touchy and oversensitive about their food.
Oddly, imho this is not just a stereotype and most importantly, it's not something I am offended by.
It's true: you could question everything about our Country, from politics to economy, just don't question our culinary traditions.
If you ever had an Italian friend or housemate or you spent some time in Italy, you may know that almost 50% of our daily conversations with friends and family revolve around the meals we had or we are about to prepare. For us, food is not just something we eat to survive, it is a huge part of our culture, it's bonding, it's a status symbol. It speaks volumes about the city or town we were born or raised in, about our family heritage and the stories that our grandmas passed on, alongside the recipes.
The "pasta alla Carbonara" is one of those recipes that hold within amazing stories and misteries about their origins or their name, there are at least 5 or 6 theories about it and many towns claim to be its birthplace. There are also some internal "feuds" about the runnyness of the egg, the use of bacon instead of cheeklard, which type of pasta is the best for the recipe and so on... and mind that this is one of the simplest recipe we have!
One thing we all agree on: bacon must be crunchy and not mushy - so it must not be boiled- and the egg must be incorporated as a sauce and not as a garnish!
You see, this is not about the recipe: this is about the continuity of the Italian habit to take the time to care about every single detail. Preparing a meal, for us, is not about putting everything together and be done in 5 minutes, it's about tasting and enjoying every step of the process, maybe while drinking a glass of wine or talking to our friends and family for whom we are cooking - even on the phone if they're away.
So if you want to learn how to cook "italian", learn how to care italian: that's one recipe that never fails!
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