Zagat: Italian Food Survey: Favorite Pastas, Is Home Cooking Better?

It's Italian Food week, and some of the biggest debates over pasta, wine and celeb chefs are going to get settled right here. We surveyed 1,468 avid diners about their Italian eating habits and discovered that grandma's cooking may not always be the best. The results in the slideshow will answer all your questions: which Boot-cuisine celeb is the most popular? Which pasta is the most comforting? How much is too much to spend on a dish at a restaurant. Click through to see the winners and losers of our first ever Italian Food Survey, and sound off about the results in the comments. Also check out our list of the top Italian restaurants in 25 U.S. cities here.

[Also see: 9 Pricey Pastas From Around the U.S.]

• People Are Addicted to Italian

  Italian constantly ranks as a favorite cuisine in our restaurant surveys, so it's no surprise to see that people are getting their pasta fix at least weekly, with 44% reporting that they eat Italian one or two times a week. Even more sauced up are the 23% of respondents who say they eat Italian three to four times a week. As for the 8% who say they eat Italian five or more times each week, we salute you. In place of confetti at your parade, we will throw grated Parmesan. <strong>How often do you typically eat Italian food?</strong> 1-2 times a week: 44% 3-4 times a week: 23% A few times a month: 21% 5 or more times a week: 8% Once a month or less: 4% <strong>[Also see: <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/chefs-guide-to-italy-insider-travel.html">Chef's Guide to Italy: Insider Travel Tips From the Pros</a>]</strong>

• Home Cooking's Not All That

  When people go out, they don't want to eat the same old pasta dishes they can make in their kitchen. A whopping 79% of respondents report that they avoid ordering dishes they can throw together at home when they're at a restaurant. And even though a lot of Italian grandmothers think their red sauce reigns supreme, the survey takers disagree - 59% of Italian food lovers say that they prefer restaurant cooking vs. 41% who say they prefer home cooking. But people expect more from restaurants. When going out to eat, 75% said it's either very important or extremely important to have authentic and imported Italian ingredients, while only 53% of home cooks said it's very or extremely important to have those imported and authentic ingredients in their kitchen. The takeaway? A lot of folks are reaching for premade sauces when making pasta at home. <strong>When ordering Italian food at a restaurant, do you:</strong> Avoid ordering dishes you can cook at home: 79% Order dishes you can make at home: 17% I don't cook Italian food at home: 4% <strong>How important is it that a restaurant use authentic and imported ingredients in its cuisine?</strong> Extremely: 37% Very: 38% Somewhat: 19% Not Very: 5% Not At All: 1% <strong>How important is it to use authentic and imported ingredients at home?</strong> Extremely: 22% Very: 31% Somewhat: 34% Not Very: 11% Not At All: 2% <strong>[Also see: <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/the-top-italian-restaurants-in-25-us.html">The Top Italian Restaurants in 25 U.S. Cities</a>]</strong>

• Diners Will Pay for Good Pasta

  When you're out to eat and you see a pasta dish that contains the same ingredients you can get for less than $4 at your local grocery store, fuggadeboutit, right? Actually, no. Our survey found that diners are more than willing to pay for top-notch plates of pasta - so it's no wonder that restaurants aren't hesitant to push the prices into the $20-a-dish range. In fact, 32% said that they'd spend $20-25 on a restaurant-prepared pasta dish, while 22% said that they would go beyond that and plop down over $25 for an awesome ravioli. $15-25 seems to be the sweet spot, with 63% saying they'd pay that much for a good dish. <strong>What is the most you would spend on a restaurant prepared pasta dish?</strong> Less than $10: 1% $10-14.99: 14% $15-19.99: 31% $20-24.99: 32% $25 or more: 22% <strong>[Also see: <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/the-hottest-italian-restaurants-in-us.html">The Hottest Italian Restaurants in the U.S.</a>]</strong>

• Pasta Preference: Pappardelle Is the Best, Spaghetti Doesn't Make Top 5

  The votes are in and it's official: people are so over spaghetti. The childhood staple didn't even rank in the top five favorite pastas, with broad and flat pappardelle taking the top slot. Also outranking spaghetti were linguine, ravioli and angel hair, which placed in spots two, three and four, respectively. All the way at the bottom of the list is tagliatelle, which ranked at No. 10 behind orecchiette. People are passionate about their pastas, so see the full rankings below and debate away! 1. Pappardelle 2. Linguine 3. Ravioli 4. Angel Hair 5. Penne 6. Spaghetti 7. Fettuccine 8. Rigatoni 9. Orecchiette 10. Tagliatelle <strong>[Also see: <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/break-out-parmesan-its-italian-week.html">Break Out the Parmesan, It's Italian Food Week!</a>]</strong>

• It's the Sauce That Counts

  When it come time to smother your favorite pasta in sauce, people want a little meat in the mix. Bolognese was the No. 1 choice for sauce, scoring 17% of the vote, while classic marinara came in second with 13%. Spicy arrabbiata landing in third with 8% of the vote, while carbonara and vodka sauce landed in fourth and fifth place, respectively, with 7% each. There was a wide spread in the pasta sauce department, check out the full results: Bolognese: 17% Marinara: 13% Arrabbiata: 8% Carbonara: 7% Vodka Sauce: 7% Pesto: 7% Aglio Olio (garlic and oil): 7% Pomodoro: 6% Clam Sauce: 6% Puttanesca: 6% Ragu: 5% All'amatriciana: 4% Alfredo: 3% Squid Ink: 1% Other: 1% <strong>[Also see: <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/italian-food-survey-favorite-pastas-is.html">Italian Food Survey: Favorite Pastas, Is Home Cooking Better?</a>]</strong>

• Twirling Your Pasta in a Spoon is Uncommon, But Cutting It Is Just Weird

  An impressive 40% of surveyors still use the old-school method of twirling pasta with a spoon to insure they don't end up slopping sauce all over those checkered tablecloths. However, taking a knife to the noodles is just going too far. Only 18% of surveyors say they cut long strands before scarfing them, while a super-majority of 82 percent are a firm "no" when it comes to cutting. <strong>Do you twirl your pasta with a spoon?</strong> Yes: 40% No: 56% I don't twirl my pasta at all: 4% <strong>Do you cut long strands before eating them?</strong> Yes: 18% No: 56% <strong>[Also see: <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/best-meal-ever-2013-another-epic-look.html">Best Meal Ever 2013: Another Epic Look at Favorite Meals</a>]</strong>

• Wine Wire: Overall, People Prefer Red to White, but Pinot Grigio Is Tops

  It was a tight race for the favorite Italian vino - our poll included a dozen types of wines, and Pinot Grigio was the favorite varietal, eeking out a victory with 16% of the vote. Close behind the spritely white was Chianti (15%), Montepulciano (14%) and Sangiovese (12%), with Prosecco securing a sparkling fifth-place finish with 11% of the vote. Even though Pinot won the battle, red wine won the war. Though the vote for the top five vinos (one of which was chosen by 68% of respondents) was split between different grapes, 41% said their favorite pour was a red compared with 27% that said their favorite was a white. Take a look at the top 10 vinos below: <strong>What is your favorite Italian wine?</strong> 1. Pinot Grigio 2. Chianti 3. Montepulciano 4. Sangiovese 5. Prosecco 6. Moscato 7. Barbera 8. Nebbiolo 9. Nero d'Avola 10. Primitivo <strong>[Also see: <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/9-must-visit-international-food-streets.html">9 Must-Visit International Food Streets</a>]</strong>

• Trend Watch: Whole-Wheat Pasta and Aperitif Spirits Have Yet to Catch On

  If you're friends with a cocktail geek, chances are you're heard them wax poetic about Italian herbal liqueurs, which are all the rage in upscale libation lounges. Well, these spirits may be popular with diehards, but the trend hasn't swayed the general public yet. When it comes to Italian booze, people still want their limoncello, with a plurality of 38% saying that it's the favorite. In second place is Sambuca with 14% of the vote, while Campari, the first aperitif on the list, only sneaks into third place with 13% of the vote. Another trend that hasn't caught on? Whole wheat pasta. When asked if they order whole wheat noodles when available, 68% of those surveyed said no. <strong>What is your favorite Italian spirit?</strong> Limoncello: 38% Sambuca: 14% Campari: 13% Frangelico: 13% Grappa: 11% Amaro: 6% Strega: 2% Other: 3% <strong>Do you prefer to eat whole-wheat pasta?</strong> Yes: 32% No: 68% <strong>[Also see: <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/when-chefs-tweet-9-culinary-twitter.html">When Chefs Tweet: 9 Culinary Twitter Feuds</a>]</strong>

• Cheese and Comfort Food (But Aren't They One and the Same)?

  News flash: Italian food is comforting. Ok, no one is shocked by that. But when you're looking to dig into some pasta on an ice-cold day, what is your go-to? Pizza is the best food to provide solace on a day that has got you down, with 18% of voters saying it's their favorite comfort food. There was a pretty even split between the top five choices, with lasagna (17%), pasta Bolognese (13%), eggplant Parmigiana (13%) and spaghetti and meatballs (12%) rounding out the selection. Or if you're for comfort - say cheese! We also polled the top fromages from Italy, and are you really surprised that Parmigiano-Reggiano came out on top with 35% of the vote, followed by Mozzarella at 19% and Pecorino-Romano at 12%. <strong>What's Your Favorite Comfort Food Dish?</strong> Pizza: 18% Lasagna: 17% Pasta Bolognese: 13% Eggplant Parmigiana: 13% Spaghetti and Meatballs: 12% Veal Parmigiana: 8% Chicken Parmigiana: 7% Baked Ziti: 4% <strong>What Is Your Favorite Cheese? </strong> Parmigiano-Reggiano: 35% Mozzarella: 19% Pecorino-Romano: 12% Gorgonzola: 6% Provolone: 6% Ricotta: 5% Asiago: 4% Grana Padano: 3% Taleggio: 3% Fontina: 2% Burrata: 2% Mascarpone: 1% <strong>[Also see: <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/7-super-bowl-fast-food-deals-that-can.html">7 Fast Food Super Bowl Deals That Can Break Your Belt</a>]</strong>

• Batali is Boss, Giada Inspires a Love/Hate Response

  With numerous restaurants, countless television appearances (including a guest-host gig on The Chew) and cookbooks galore, it's no surprise that Mario Batali is the most beloved personality in the Italian food world, with 30% of folks saying he's their favorite chef. Lidia Bastianich, one of his partners at NYC's Eataly, came in second place with 22% of the vote, while Giada di Laurentiis was in third with 19%. Not everyone loves her, though - a number of voters took the time to call her out in an open-ended question that asked about the "most annoying Italian trend," with folks complaining that they can't stand her "pronunciation of Italian words." <strong>Who's your favorite chef/personality specializing in Italian cuisine?</strong> Mario Batali: 30% Lidia Bastianich: 22% Giada di Laurentiis: 19% Michael Chiarello: 7% Fabio Viviani: 4% Michael White: 4% Anne Burrell: 3% Scott Conant 2% Joe Bastianich: 1% <strong>[Also see: <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/10-best-restaurants-in-las-vegas.html">10 Best Restaurants in Vegas</a>]</strong>

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zagat/italian-food-survey_b_2575806.html

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