AThe company behind spaghetti rings, Alphabetti and Minions pasta shapes isn’t afraid to take liberties with Italian cuisine. But after it had the audacity to put carbonara in a can, some fear the US manufacturer has gone too far.
The gravity of the situation was highlighted on Thursday morning when the launch of the company’s first pasta products in a decade was discussed on BBC Radio 4’s flagship news programme Today. Presenter Jonny Dymond asked whether this represented the “end of culinary civilisation” or the kind of “leap forward that gave us the joys of instant noodles and microwave meals”.
Alessandro Pipero, whose Michelin-starred restaurant Pipero in the heart of Rome has earned him the title of “Carbonara King,” was clearly in the first camp. The chef seemed to balk at £2 of long-shelf supermarket carbonara and asked quizzically: “You mean in a can, like cat food?”
He told the Times: “I don’t really know how to respond to that. Shouldn’t we stick with canning things like Coca-Cola?”
Although spaghetti carbonara is now considered an Italian staple, it is a relatively recent invention. Its origins are disputed, but culinary critics suggest it may have come from U.S. troops in Italy and their daily supplies, which included some kind of cheese, bacon, and eggs.
The dish’s enduring popularity is partly due to the fact that it is theoretically quick and easy to make and has just four ingredients – pasta, egg, parmesan and pancetta. Some chefs add cream but have kept quiet about it after chef Nigella Lawson was criticised for causing the “death of Italian cuisine” by adding 60ml of cream in a 2017 recipe.
If you are annoyed by the addition of cream, you should skip the list of ingredients on the back of the Heinz can: It contains pancetta, corn starch, skimmed milk powder, cheese powder, sugar, garlic flavoring, onion extract and dried parsley.
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The controversial new product has been a godsend for users of X, formerly Twitter. One wag suggested they could “try it on toast with some rocket and balsamic glaze”, while another commented, “As a Sicilian, I must commit murder for this offence”.
The psychedelic branding – a combination of Heinz’s traditional yellow and a color that looks like millennial pink – also caused a stir. One commenter said: “It makes me think of fruit salads.”
But Heinz, which has already given spaghetti bolognese and beef ravioli the same treatment, is unrepentant. The company said it was coming to the aid of people who would rather open a can than endure the drama of the sauce tarnishing.
Alessandra de Dreuille, head of food at Kraft Heinz, said people wanted “convenient meals that are effortless to prepare.” She added: “Whether as a comforting meal after a long day or to share with friends while watching the latest TV series, Heinz Spaghetti Carbonara is the perfect no-fuss dinner solution.”
