Heinz's Canned Carbonara: A "Fail-Safe" Dish That Sparks Outrage in Italy

Heinz, the iconic food brand, has launched a canned carbonara, promising a "fail-safe" solution for those lacking culinary skills. The move, however, has caused a stir in Italy, where the beloved dish is considered a culinary cornerstone and a subject of fervent debate.

"Do you mean in a tin, like cat food?" Alessandro Pipero, owner and chef of the Michelin-starred Pipero restaurant in Rome, exclaimed upon hearing of Heinz's offering. Known as the city's "carbonara king," Pipero is renowned for his authentic and traditional versions of the classic pasta dish.

Heinz's canned carbonara is marketed as a "no cooking skills required" option, aimed at Gen Z, who, according to a recent survey, desire fast and convenient food. Alessandra de Dreuille, meals director at Kraft Heinz, commented, "We understand that people are looking for convenient meals that are effortless to prepare, and our new spaghetti carbonara delivers just that."

However, Pipero, like many other Italian chefs and food enthusiasts, remains unconvinced. "I don't really know how to respond to this," he said, questioning the need for such a product. "I love modernity, I've got nothing against it, but from the point of view of an Italian, shouldn't we stick to putting things like Coca-Cola in a can?"

Pipero believes that if a product like this is widely accepted, the problem lies with the consumer, not the company. "But I can't see too many Italians buying it," he added.

Paolo Manfredi, an Italian food writer, sheds light on the history of carbonara, highlighting its relatively recent invention. "It didn't enter the Italian cookbooks before the 1950s," he explains. "Its origins are debated, but it might well be something that came from US troops in Italy and their daily supplies, which included some sort of cheese, bacon, and eggs."

Manfredi emphasizes the evolving nature of carbonara, pointing out that the original recipe differed significantly from the contemporary version. "The original recipe in the 1950s had Gruyere cheese, pancetta, garlic, and the eggs were more cooked. It is something quite different from what we have now, which is very creamy, very posh."

Eleonora Cozzella, an Italian food author, described the dish as "a combination of Italian genius and American resources." She recounted stories of innkeepers who served American soldiers in the late 1940s, catering to their demand for a "spaghetti breakfast" of eggs, bacon, and pasta.

The addition of cream, often seen as sacrilege to traditional carbonara lovers, has been a source of debate for decades. Nigella Lawson, the renowned chef and food writer, faced criticism for including cream in her 2017 carbonara recipe. While defending her "inauthentic" recipe, she later removed the cream from the recipe on her website.

Heinz is not the first company to offer canned or jarred carbonara sauce. Manfredi notes that many such products substitute cream for eggs, often including additional ingredients like cheese, water, thickeners, and flavourings.

"It has nothing to do with [the original] but it is following the path of Alfredo sauce," he adds. "Alfredo sauce for an Italian is almost non-existent. It's a very specific recipe made in one or two restaurants in the centre of Rome, but in the US it is very popular and their recipe is totally different."

Despite the controversy, Manfredi believes that carbonara is open to interpretation. "There is no trademark. And maybe people who eat it [canned carbonara] will have a nice surprise when they come to Italy," he says, acknowledging the potential for discovering the true essence of the dish.

Taste Test: A Sweet Travesty of a Great Italian Original

Tony Turnbull, Times Food Editor, offers his take on Heinz's canned carbonara: "The great selling point of spaghetti carbonara is that it is quick and easy to prepare: just four ingredients — pasta, egg, parmesan and pancetta — and on the table in under ten minutes."

He notes the convenience of the canned version, ready in two minutes, but criticizes the lack of flavour and texture. "Where is the bite of properly cooked pasta, the smoky depth of the pancetta, the silky, cheesy richness of emulsified parmesan and egg yolk? The spaghetti here is the tasteless mush we all recognise from childhood tins of alphabetti spaghetti."

Turnbull describes the sauce as "thin, watery, off-puttingly sweet," and laments the overall lack of authenticity. "A message to my student daughter: stick to the Pot Noodles."

Classic Carbonara Recipe

For those seeking a truly authentic carbonara experience, Tony Turnbull provides a classic recipe:

Ingredients:

350g spaghetti

200g guanciale, pancetta or streaky bacon, diced

100g pecorino or parmesan, grated

4 eggs, yolks only

Black pepper

Method:

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for a minute less than the packet instructions.
2. Meanwhile, slowly fry the meat in a large pan, adding a little olive oil if necessary.
3. Whisk the egg yolks with the pecorino until creamy, then mix in a ladleful of the pasta water and lots of black pepper.
4. Take the pancetta off the heat. Drain the pasta and add to the pancetta, stirring to combine with the fat.
5. Then stir in the eggs, mixing well to ensure all the pasta is coated.
6. Serve with extra cheese if you like.