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No one is really sure where the ‘don't mix seafood and cheese’ rule originated, but most agree that it was somewhere in Italy, way back when. There aren’t many traditional that add cheese, and even today when a cook sneaks a little into their , there’s a guilty pause.
“A little bit enhances the flavour,” Salvatore Pepe, founder of , says sheepishly when adding a dash of parmesan to his scallop dish on this week’s . He admits it’s “unusual” to add cheese to seafood, but he’s clearly not bothered about the seafood and cheese stand-off.
Old traditions are quite young
“Traditions” are a fickle thing and, as Pepe knows, worthy of a challenge from time to time. Italian 'traditions' aren't actually all that old, most having originate from a time after World War II when the country was in disarray. During times of uncertainty, it makes sense that a culture fiercely protects what it knows to be certain. Cook and all will be well. It was a way of life that stuck fast for Italians, whether they stayed in Italy or migrated across the world.
Even today when a cook sneaks a little parmigiano reggiano into their capesante gratinate, there’s a guilty pause.
Exactly why Nonna’s seafood-hates-cheese-hates-seafood theory emerged in the first place is up for debate. Various explanations have been raised, including that both dairy and seafood spoil easily, so in times before refrigeration the combination could have been deadly. Or, you know, each could have been deadly on its own…
Get the recipe for this crab and haloumi tart .
Across the water, the Greeks were too busy adding feta to everything to note the seafood-cheese divide. Source: China Squirrel
Geographical strangers
Another theory suggests that cheese making regions were historically inland and therefore cheese and seafood were geographically separated, which is not even remotely true. For instance, mozzarella di buffala is from Campania, which is famous for its long and dramatic coastline. Pecorino Romano has been made in Lazio for centuries. Lazio is also home to two of Italy’s biggest fishing ports.
Yet another explanation suggests that the delicate taste of seafood might be overwhelmed by the pungent taste of cheese – a theory that clearly never met an anchovy or Emmental cheese.
Cook the way Nonna cooked and all will be well.
It’s all a bit of a moot point anyway because there are plenty of that pleasantly mix seafood and cheese. Fortunately, the rest of the world never paid attention to the obscure rule either. Here are 10 reasons why we are forever grateful.
Italians do it
Thank you for adding the parmesan to your , Salvatore. It adds just the right amount of tang to enhance the creaminess of the scallops.
Capesante gratinate Source: Sharyn Cairns
Italians do it again
Shhh, don’t tell the Italians, but parmesan makes veramente Buono! The combination of velvety scallops, sharp artichoke and salty cheese is simply perfection.
Scallop and artichoke taglitelle Source: SBS Food
Just add pumpkin
This packs a whole roasted pumpkin full of spicy prawn, calamari and scallop mix and melts mozzarella over the lot.
Steamed seafood in pumpkin Source: Heather Jeong
Sea bass and feta, Turkish-style
Big, plump pieces of fish swim in a tomato-based sauce spiced with cumin, fennel and garlic in . Salty cubes of feta are added before baking in a hot oven until the cheese turns golden.
Baked seafood with tomatoes and Turkish cheese Source: SBS Food
Cheesy French
The French are happy to put cheese in anything at all and this demonstrates why. The twice-baked crab soufflé is served with a prawn and crab bisque sauce and finished with a cheesy gratin crown.
Double-baked crab soufflé Source: The Chefs' Line
Greek wedding
Serving seafood with a side of cheese is a speciality of seaside Greek tavernas. Haloumi, feta and saganaki all feature alongside dishes of fried calamari, baby octopus or scallops. This dish of i proves that seafood and cheese are the perfect marriage of ocean and earth.
Chargrilled baby calamari with fried saganaki Source: Armelle Habib
