Rome/London - A supposedly harmless pasta recipe has triggered a diplomatic intervention in the culinary world. The British broadcaster BBC has corrected its online recipe for the traditional Roman dish "Cacio e Pepe". The Italian business association Confesercenti had previously lodged an official complaint. The bone of contention was the use of ingredients that had no place in the original recipe.
There was an outcry on the Roman gastronomy scene when the BBC published a recipe for "Cacio e Pepe" on its food website that included Parmesan cheese and butter as well as spaghetti and pepper. An affront to traditionalists. Claudio Pica, President of Fiepet-Confesercenti of Rome and Lazio, therefore felt compelled to act. "We were stunned," says Pica. He emphasized that the original recipe only had three ingredients: Pasta, pepper and spicy pecorino cheese. The problem was not the creative variation itself, but the BBC's presentation of its version as the original.
The complaint, which was also reported to the British embassy in Rome, had an effect. The BBC changed the relevant article and now describes the correct preparation with the three original ingredients. In the "recipe tips" at the end of the article, however, the British authors couldn't resist a little side blow: if the creamy emulsion of cheese and pasta water doesn't turn out right first time, you can help it along with a dash of cream - the next culinary sin for purists.
For Confesercenti, this case is part of a larger mission. They want to protect iconic dishes of Italian cuisine such as carbonara or amatriciana from misrepresentation abroad and preserve their historical significance.
