Polish pasta is better than Italian, explains deputy agriculture minister

A deputy agriculture minister, Janusz Kowalski, has proclaimed Polish pasta to be better than its Italian counterpart and published evidence justifying that view.

A graphic containing the logo of Poland’s agriculture ministry leads with the question, “Why is Polish pasta better than Italian?”

Kupuj polskie produkty od polskich przetwórców! Dzięki temu wspierasz polskich rolników.

🔎Zobacz, dlaczego polski makaron z polskich jaj i polskiej mąki jest zdecydowanie lepszy od makaronu włoskiego.

👉🏻Jeśli się z tym zgadzasz to podaj dalej.#ProduktPolski pic.twitter.com/LO0IarOkY3

— Janusz Kowalski 🇵🇱 (@JKowalski_posel) October 3, 2023

It then notes that the Polish version is made with “light Polish wheat flour” while Italian pasta is produced with durum wheat.

The next line, titled “Eggs”, says for Polish pasta: “Yes, Polish.” For Italian pasta, it says “No”. Meanwhile, whereas Polish pasta is “rolled traditionally”, its Italian counterpart is “pressed”. Another advantage of the Polish version is that it has a shorter cooking time, according to Kowalski.

Summarising the differences, the graphic notes that “Poles like pasta that enlarges during boiling [and] is light and springy”. By contrast, “Italians choose harder pasta from durum wheat”.

Moreover, whereas “Poles consume pasta mainly in soups…Italians use pasta mainly for main courses”.

Spaghetti polonaise pic.twitter.com/05dszaVsL8

— Daniel Tilles (@danieltilles1) July 14, 2023

Kowalski’s graphic, which features a photograph of him and his name alongside a slogan saying “Choose the Polish product”, quickly drew comments from social media users.

“Why are Polish eggs better than Italian ones?” asked journalist Przemek Langier. Kowalski is yet to respond to that inquiry.

However, when another journalist, Michał Płociński of Rzeczpospolita, suggested that the graphic was embarrassing, Kowalski did respond. “So I understand that supporting the Polish economy is a source of ridicule for you?” wrote the minister.

Jak rozumiem wspieranie 🇵🇱gospodarki – 🇵🇱producentów makaronu jest dla Pana powodem do kpin? Może odwiedzi Pan któryś z polskich zakładów i zacznie promować dobre co polskie? Nazwa tytułu prasowego zobowiązuje.

— Janusz Kowalski 🇵🇱 (@JKowalski_posel) October 3, 2023

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Main image credit: MOs810/Wikimedia Commons (under CC BY-SA 4.0)

Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.