A blind taste test conducted by the Evening Standard's food writer Carina Cooper has compared supermarket Italian foods against offerings from chef Antonio Carluccio, who recently criticised mass-produced 'Britalian' meals as tasteless.
In the pesto category, Sainsbury's green pesto (£1.49) was rated poorly for its 'very bad consistency' with ingredients not holding together. Tesco's pesto (£1.89) was also criticised for being too watery. M&S pesto (£1.99) fared slightly better but was deemed too oily and salty. Carluccio's pesto (£2.95) was praised for its fresh colour but noted to need a thicker consistency and more potent basil flavour.
For pasta sauces, Sainsbury's Neapolitan sauce (£1.49) was described as a 'bastardised version' of the traditional sauce, too watery and sweet. Tesco's finest tomato and mascarpone sauce (£1.99) was considered not exceptional, needing additional ingredients. M&S tomato and basil sauce (£1.99) was rated as a very good basic sauce, simple and authentic.
In the pasta category, Sainsbury's Taste the Difference garlic and herb tagliatelle (£3.99) was 'not bad, but a little too rubbery'. Tesco's fresh egg tagliatelle (£2.29) was ordinary. M&S fiorelli pasta (£2.49) also suffered from rubbery consistency. Carluccio's pasta (£2.95) was deemed the best, with excellent eggy texture and fresh taste.
For lasagne, Sainsbury's lasagne (£3.29) was described as 'terrible: bland, school food'. Tesco's lasagne al forno (£4.99) was 'horrifying' with dry, crispy top and soggy pasta. M&S lasagne al forno (£4.99) was the best supermarket option, with authentic taste and correct ratio of pasta to meat. Carluccio's lasagne (£4.99) had fresh ingredients but was too acidic and lacked meat.
