If you're hankering for authentic Italian food, you'd expect nothing less than the real deal at a traditional restaurant - but one defiant venue caused quite the stir by refusing to add cream to their carbonara, despite a diner's plea.
True to Italian culinary tradition, many would argue that a classic carbonara should never see a dollop of cream, and Bottega Prelibato in trendy Shoreditch, London, is sticking to its guns. They've even stopped serving the beloved pasta dish after too many punters asked for extra bits like chicken and mushrooms to be thrown into the mix, sparking what they've cheekily termed "carbonara gate".
Their no-frills recipe sticks to egg yolks, Pecorino cheese, guanciale, and a twist of black pepper, and they're hoping customers will get why they won't budge on the dish's integrity. In a candid post, they declared: "We are proud of our recipe... without any cream or other additives. However, we also understand that not everyone shares our taste for this classic dish.
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"Some of you have asked us to add cream, mushrooms, chicken, or other ingredients to our carbonara. Some said it was too salty, others that it was not creamy enough."
But Bottega Prelibato isn't about to cave, stating further: "Good decision? Bad decision? We don't know. You can tell us in the comments. However, one thing we do know, is that we respect your preferences, but we are not willing to compromise on our quality and authenticity."
Owner Gianfillippo Mattioli, hailing from Rome, defended his restaurant's carbonara preparation method to The Telegraph, stating: "I am from Rome and I actually know how to do it, and my chef does as well. We don't use cream, we pre-cook the Italian Guanciale and we make it crispy."
He further added: "It's very controversial. It is very easy to think of as a dish but it's actually very complicated and difficult to satisfy people." Consequently, the eatery has ceased serving the popular dish, much to the disappointment of its patrons.
One disgruntled diner wrote: "Serve it without apology. That's ridiculous. I make my carbonara exactly the same way and it's the only way I'll ever make it," while another chimed in: "Well done, La Carbonara is only served one way, the ITALIAN way,' a third stressed. 'If they want cream/mushroom/chicken etc etc there are plenty of fake "Italian" chefs willing to cook that hunk of junk."
The true origin of carbonara remains a topic of debate, with associations to Rome and the Lazio region, yet speculation persists about the authentic birthplace of this traditional Italian dish.
2024-11-29T11:34:46Z