‘Carbonara sauce’ at EU parliament causes stir with Italy
Italy’s agriculture minister has demanded an investigation after he found jars containing pancetta at a supermarket in Brussels
A jar of “carbonara sauce” for sale at the European Parliament in Brussels has whipped up Italian emotions after criticism that it does not contain the right ingredients.
Italy’s agriculture minister Francesco Lollobrigida unleashed his ire earlier this week after posting a picture of the offending pot on social media.
The minister decried the sauce for containing pancetta – a pork product similar to bacon – which is apparently a major culinary faux pas in food-loving Italy.
He said it was an example of products that commonly masquerade as Italian without having much to do with the genuine article.
“It is unacceptable to see them on the shelves of the European Parliament market. I asked that investigations be started immediately,” he fumed.
The controversy was stirred up further by others from the far-right Brothers of Italy of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.