Italy’s Outcry Over UK Cacio e Pepe Recipe Butter Controversy Explained

Imagine the uproar when a beloved Italian dish is tampered with by foreign hands. That’s exactly what happened when a UK recipe for Kacio Eepe included a fourth controversial ingredient, butter. This isn’t just a minor tweak. It’s a culinary crime that has Italians up in arms. But here’s where it gets controversial. The recipe in question is from the well-known UK culinary website Good Food, formerly known as BBC Good Food. and it’s causing a stir across the Italian peninsula. The traditional recipe for kacio pepe, a staple of Roman cuisine, is renowned for its simplicity. Just three ingredients: pasta, spaghetti or tonerelli, pecarino romano cheese, and black pepper. But the UK version throws in a curveball with the addition of butter and the option to use parmesan, parmesano instead of pecorino. This deviation from the classic recipe has sparked outrage with Italy’s small and medium-sized business association, Confessor Centi, taking the matter to the British embassy in Rome. Claudio Pika, head of the Rome and Latio branch of Confessor Centi, expressed his astonishment and demanded a correction to preserve the integrity of this iconic dish. The original recipe for Kacio Eepe excludes the use of paragano and butter. Pika emphasized, “There are not four ingredients, but three, pasta, pepper, and pecarino.” As of Thursday morning, the good food recipe still listed 25 g butter, much to the dismay of traditionalists. Meanwhile, another recipe on the BBC website suggests adding a slick of double cream for those struggling with the dish. This isn’t the first time foreign interpretations of Italian recipes have sparked fury. In 2020, Romans were horrified by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s nightmare carbonara. And in 2021, the New York Times caused a stir with its smoky tomato carbonara. And this is the part most people miss. These controversies highlight the deep-seated passion Italians have for their culinary heritage. But what do you think? Should traditional recipes be left untouched, or is it okay to experiment and add a personal touch? The debate is open and we’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you stand with the purists or are you more of an innovator in the kitchen? Share your opinions in the comments below and let the discussion