The Problem Stanley Tucci Has With Italian-American Cooking
Purists across America have noted a variety of problems with the homegrown takes on Italian cooking they have experienced over the years. According to Spoon University, anyone familiar with traditional Italian cooking techniques might hate it when chefs spray down food with cooking spray, break spaghetti into smaller pieces before cooking, fry bologna, or drink coffee overloaded with milk.
Many of the foods that have found their way to American tables also often don't show up in Italy. Eat This, Not That! notes that you will never find garlic bread, shrimp scampi, Italian wedding soup, or even spaghetti and meatballs if you travel to Rome, Naples, or Sicily. This widespread anger at cooks butchering Italian classics has found quite a few outlets. One dedicated Twitter account even documents these culinary atrocities in the most extreme forms, and forces followers to look at terrors like Hawaiian spaghetti, Margherita pizza topped with chicken breasts, and improperly ordered cappuccinos.
Certain individuals have also voiced their disapproval of Americanized Italian cuisine. Actor Stanley Tucci ranks as one of these individuals and has accumulated his fair share of cooking horror stories after watching his American friends try to cook classic meals from the Old World.
Stanley Tucci's biggest problem with Italian-American cooking
Stanley Tucci definitely knows his stuff when it comes to Italian cooking. According to Insider, he hosts "Searching for Italy" on CNN and knows what a proper Italian meal should taste like, thanks to growing up around his grandparents who emigrated from Calabria, Italy. Tucci noted that he felt horrified going over to friends' houses growing up and eating their families' take on the classic Italian recipes, particularly noting how many recipes opt for way too many ingredients in all the wrong ratios. Tucci explained that authentic Italian cooking doesn't require that much sauce on pasta and the items end up looking a lot more minimal than their American counterparts, which come loaded with meat, cheese, and sauce.
Tucci highlighted this difference on his show through dishes like cacio e pepe or spaghetti alla Nerano, which emphasize zucchinis as an ingredient and work despite their bare simplicity. The actor also noted that he believes the excess of pasta toppings in America stems from an American desire for excess and plenty, even when it comes to simple recipes. While this nuanced opinion might seem more divisive than looking on in horror at a Hawaiian spaghetti recipe, Tucci's point adds another argument to the pool of reasons why some Italians remain angry at Italian-American cuisine.