Nadia Caterina Munno’s “The Pasta Queen” landed on Prime Video on Oct. 24, blessing the world with gorgeous visuals of Italian food and quippy Italian expressions. The show is part cooking tutorial and part travelogue, as the camera follows Munno throughout various regions of Italy, where she learns about ingredients and makes mouth-watering meals. Can you tell that I’m excited about this one?
Munno, who does in fact describe herself as “The Pasta Queen,” has a significant following on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, where she mostly posts content related to cooking and her general life. She also has a cookbook, titled “The Pasta Queen: A Just Gorgeous Cookbook” (the word “gorgeous” is a big part of her brand), which made it onto the New York Times Bestseller list.
Munno herself is Italian, having been born in Rome. According to her website, her family, “known in Rome as the ‘Macaronis,’ has been making pasta and wine in [their] factory in Southern Italy since the 1800s.” This personal connection to Italy is a huge part of her success as “The Pasta Queen,” given how obvious it is that she truly loves her culture and the food it has created.
Although my incredibly American family has no real connection to any of our European heritage, I’ve been exposed to Italian culture by my Italian stepfamily, whom I’ve visited a few times. While I can’t say I’m anything close to an expert when it comes to commenting on authentic Italian food, I’m not entirely unqualified. Many aspects of “The Pasta Queen” truly feel like Italy, Italian culture and Italian food.
“The key for any great Italian meal is exquisite ingredients and a sprinkle of drama,” Munno says when the first episode of “The Pasta Queen” begins. Alright, I’m invested. From my experience, those are both very true statements.
Italy is known for having incredible food, and a lot of that reputation comes from the way Italy handles its ingredients. A lot of the food in Italy is locally sourced, fresh and high quality. Additionally, many recipes and cooking techniques are a part of Italian culture, meaning that the pasta you eat in Italy has quite literally been made with love. It’s essentially an art form.
The opening shots of the first episode preview what the rest of the show will be, showing off various Italian dishes alongside shots of Munno’s adventures in ingredients. She talks about cacio e pepe and carbonara… I had breakfast less than two hours ago, and somehow, I’m salivating?
Munno begins her show by introducing orecchiette, a type of pasta shaped like a small ear, which is where the name of the pasta comes from. Munno describes the dish as “gorgeous, just like you are!” Okay, I’m blushing.
Munno spends her first episode, in the region of Puglia in southern Italy, learning about orecchiette from pasta-makers in Bari. Munno then makes orecchiette at home and teaches her children (and therefore the audience) about pasta dough-making techniques, before pivoting to Taranto, Puglia to capture mussels for her next dish: cozze alla tarantina.
If the first episode of “The Pasta Queen” is a blueprint for the rest of the show, viewers can expect a look at the culture and food-making techniques of Italy, intercut with clips from a Munno cooking class.
The show itself generally takes a more humorous approach towards its content, and Munno isn’t afraid to play it up for the camera. She not only cracks jokes but also takes the time to bring attention to specific Italian cooking techniques. One such technique is salting the water of the pasta before putting the pasta in, which is supposedly an “Italian law.”
“Nothing worth having comes easy,” Munno notes multiple times throughout the episode. This phrase is ultimately the thesis of “The Pasta Queen” television show. Munno’s ingredients and recipes require work and time, but her meals look absolutely divine. At the end of the episode, she says, “It’s about quality versus quantity. And that’s what Italy is all about.”
Ultimately, “The Pasta Queen” is a show about Italian ingredients, not food. Although Munno does an excellent job teaching the audience how to make traditional dishes, the heart and soul of the show is in the process of obtaining the ingredients necessary to make an amazing meal. It’s incredibly heartfelt and genuine, and Munno comes off as friendly and exciting throughout. Well, I’m starving, so it’s time to search the web for the cheapest flights to Italy.
The first season of “The Pasta Queen” is available on Prime Video. The show has 13 episodes, most of which are around half an hour. The show is produced by media company Hello Sunshine, which was founded by actress Reese Witherspoon.
Rating: 4/5 pasta shells