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BRITCOM III
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00:00Welcome to the taste test restaurant.
00:05We've been expecting you.
00:07This is no ordinary eatery.
00:10Diners, it's time to tuck in.
00:13Yes.
00:14It's where diners put supermarket foods to the test.
00:18Service on the pass.
00:20And try before they buy.
00:23There's a different cuisine on the menu each week.
00:27It looks like you turn the lights out, it'll glow in the dark.
00:31But Tom Reid Wilson is always in charge.
00:35Oh, how lovely you're here.
00:38Helping our diners discover which products pack a flavour punch.
00:43I want to lick the plate.
00:46And which miss the mark.
00:49That's disgusting.
00:51As we find out which supermarket favourites
00:54really offer good value for money.
00:56With that big a saving, who would go for the bargain?
01:00Ooh.
01:01While in the kitchen, Chef Mike Reid is on a mission.
01:06We need to be focused and we need to make sure our diners are happy.
01:10Yes, Chef.
01:11To discover the tricks of the supermarket trade.
01:14The supermarkets have one more secret up their sleeve.
01:17To help you decide where to spend and where to save.
01:21For the sake of saving a few, Bob, I would definitely make the switch.
01:24Mmm.
01:26This time, the restaurant's serving up La Dolce Vita.
01:31Absolutely delicious.
01:33From arancini to spaghetti carbonara.
01:36I genuinely love a supermarket carbonara.
01:39And from garlic bread...
01:41The garlic is garlicking.
01:43..to tiramisu.
01:44Our restaurant diners will be giving their verdict
01:47on Italian food from British supermarkets.
01:50This one smells like cat food, you know?
01:51Yeah.
01:52I'm Tom Reid Wilson and Benvenuto to the Taste Test restaurant.
02:09I'm pitting dishes from Britain's biggest supermarkets against each other
02:13to help you decide where to spend your money.
02:16Now today, my wondrous team are transforming the restaurant into a trattoria
02:23so that we can say ciao, bella, to Italian foods.
02:27But will our diners be saying mio amore
02:31or please not a teaspoon more to our supermarket offerings?
02:35Meanwhile, downstairs in the kitchen or La Cucina,
02:39super chef and culinary wizard Mike Reid is prepping for service.
02:44Everyone's got high expectations when it comes to Italian.
02:47So we need to be on it, we need to be focused,
02:49and we need to make sure our diners are happy.
02:52With Mike busy preparing the food,
02:55the first diners have arrived at the Taste Test restaurant.
02:59Oh! Piacere!
03:02And that's where my Italian well run its dry.
03:05They include a trio of Italian grandmothers or nunners.
03:11A chorus of opera singers.
03:13It's the golden larynxes, isn't it?
03:16Yes.
03:17Please come and make yourselves comfortable.
03:19Italian brothers who are also pizza chefs.
03:22Oh, the Neapolitans.
03:24Italy-obsessed best friends.
03:27Oh, hello.
03:28Nice to meet you.
03:29Lovely to meet you both.
03:31Nice to meet you.
03:32An engaged couple.
03:33Now the romance has arrived.
03:35This is going to be a divinely romantic table.
03:37We need a little bit of Italian romance, don't we?
03:40Of course.
03:41And three food-loving footballers.
03:44Now I gather you boys are carb-loading.
03:47I'm going to absolutely stuff you today.
03:51Our diners will taste five dishes,
03:54with three choices from major supermarkets each time.
03:59But they don't know which brand is which,
04:01and will vote anonymously for their favourite.
04:04Ciao, diners.
04:06I'm going to ask you to take a little voyage
04:09of the imagination with me.
04:10We're no longer in London.
04:12We're in sun-drenched Sicily,
04:14about to take a passeggiata,
04:17or an evening promenade.
04:20And on our way to the taste test trattoria,
04:23we have a lovely appetizer.
04:26It is, of course, arancini.
04:29This is a battle between two premium
04:36and one mid-range supermarket.
04:39Our diners will blind test three arancini dishes
04:43by tasting the individual arancino balls.
04:46In no particular order, the options are...
04:50Waitrose Go Veggie Tomato and Mozzarella Arancini.
04:54M&S Food Rich Tomato and Mozzarella Arancini.
04:58And Asda Arabiata Arancini.
05:04They're labelled A, B and C.
05:07But neither the diners nor Tom will know which is which.
05:13Yep, let's go, please.
05:15Oh, thank you.
05:17You're welcome.
05:18They look like scotch eggs.
05:21Italian scotch eggs.
05:23Diners, it's time to taste arancini.
05:27A.
05:28A.
05:29A.
05:30A.
05:31A.
05:32A.
05:33A.
05:34A.
05:35A.
05:36A.
05:37A.
05:38A.
05:39A.
05:40A.
05:41A.
05:42A.
05:43A.
05:44A.
05:45A.
05:46A.
05:47A.
05:48A.
05:49A.
05:50A.
05:51A.
05:52A.
05:53A.
05:54A.
05:55A.
05:56A.
05:57B.
05:58Seasoning in general was way too strong. So the spices were covering everything. I haven't transported you to Sicily yet
06:06Not via the palate
06:10Diners, it's time to taste Arrancini B
06:17Oh, I think there's cheese in the middle. I'm always a fan of cheese in the middle of anything
06:24It's a bit too strong the cheese it's almost like overpowering
06:28So what are the origins of these tasty rice balls
06:38Traditionally Arrancini are balls of cooked rice often shaped around a flavored filling and then deep-fried
06:47It's said that the Arabs brought them over to Sicily in the 10th century
06:51The word Arrancini means little oranges in Sicilian because once cooked they resemble a sour orange a citrus fruit
07:02Imported by the Arabs when they ruled the island
07:06Arrancini are traditionally eaten on the feast day of Santa Lucia when no bread or pasta is consumed
07:12They were also a very practical dish making use of leftover risotto by shaping it into portable snacks
07:22They could be eaten by farm workers in the fields
07:29A far cry from the diners who enjoy Arrancini today
07:35Diners, it's time to tuck in to Arrancini C
07:39It was crunchy on the outside, but that was it
07:51Now C, Arrancini C, they look like very uniform balls, Joshua
07:56Yeah, they are quite nicely shaped
07:59The crunch was good
08:00Yes
08:01But there ain't no flavor
08:03No flavor
08:04No
08:04No
08:05Please tell me that in this melange there was something that sung
08:09Yes
08:10Absolutely
08:11Well, which one?
08:15Which one sung to you?
08:16I have to say, for me, it was A
08:18So with all three Arrancini tasted, it's time for the diners to decide the winner
08:25Diners, it's time to vote for your favorite Arrancini
08:30Will it be A, B, or C?
08:35While the diners cast their votes
08:37In the kitchen, Chef Mike wants to find out more about what's inside the supermarket Arrancini
08:45I'm going to start with the Asda one
08:47The risotto looks soft
08:51There's a nice little squidge and bounce back
08:54Not the oozing sensor that I would expect from Arrancini
08:58So next one is M&S
09:00These are quite small for Arrancini
09:02Arrancini, traditionally, is actually quite big
09:05You've got that cheese in the middle, though, which is melted, which is nice
09:09Moving on to the larger Waitrose Arrancini
09:13When it's bigger, it's juicier, you can get more filling in there, you can get more cheese in there
09:18It's got quite a gooey center, that cheese is melted really nicely
09:22All three supermarket Arrancini contain cheddar cheese, as well as the more traditional mozzarella
09:29So it's very interesting that they've added cheddar cheese in there
09:33So they've definitely tailored this to the British market
09:35I understand why brands would do that, but it's not Italian and it's not authentic
09:40Back in the restaurant, with the votes now counted, it's time to see if our diners like the British take on Arrancini
09:51Well, diners, your votes are in, and we have a very clear winner with a stonking nine votes
10:00It is Arrancini A from Asda
10:08Which beat second place Arrancini B from Waitrose, and in third place, Arrancini C from M and S
10:22So in the battle of the starters, it's a clear victory for the spicier option
10:31First is Asda's Arrabbiata Arrancini at £2.98 for 180 grams
10:39In second place, it's Waitrose Go Veggie, tomato and mozzarella Arrancini at £4
10:45For the biggest pack at 300 grams
10:48And coming last is the most expensive
10:52At £3.90 for 200 grams, M and S Food, rich tomato and mozzarella Arrancini
10:58Actually, it really delights me to reveal to you that Arrancini A from Asda is nearly a pound cheaper than the M and S option
11:09So it seems that not only are you very discerning palettes, but very savvy shoppers
11:17The diners have decided
11:19When it comes to Arrancini, it appears you don't have to fork out for an Italian-style starter
11:26Coming up
11:30Chef Mike reveals the secret of a perfect spaghetti dish
11:34And that's the key to getting a silky, smooth and creamy carbonara
11:38And one garlic bread makes our taste testers sing with joy
11:43Oh, bravissimo
11:54Welcome back to the taste test restaurant
12:10Where we're taking our taste buds on a grand tour to Italy
12:14And asking our diners to try the supermarket's best takes on their gorgeous gastronomy
12:22Diners, imagining Italy without our next dish
12:27Is a bit like imagining Marcello Mastroianni without Sophia Loren
12:33It's that iconic
12:36It is, of course, spaghetti carbonara
12:40This is a battle between a brand leader versus supermarket premium ranges
12:50Remember, the diners have no idea which is which
12:55The main courses they're testing are
12:59Charlie Bigham's spaghetti carbonara
13:02As does Bistro's spaghetti pancetta carbonara
13:06And Sainsbury's taste-the-difference pancetta carbonara
13:10These are done
13:15Smells really nice
13:17Okay, service please
13:19Thank you very much
13:21It's not easy to get a good carbonara, Pepe
13:24It's not easy
13:25I genuinely love a supermarket carbonara
13:28Dear diners
13:30It's time to taste spaghetti carbonara A
13:39It's what I would expect from a carbonara
13:41A little bit of cheese on that bad boy would really bring it to life, I think
13:47Now, I know that you're big fans of Italian flavours
13:51Yes, absolutely
13:52How does this rate carbonara A?
13:55A little bit bland
13:56Yeah, it was like there was no excitement
13:58So our feeling is if carbonara A was served to you at a restaurant or a trattoria
14:04It would be slightly disappointing
14:06I wouldn't complain but I wouldn't leave it here
14:09But will spaghetti carbonara B bring home the bacon?
14:15It's got more taste, it's got more flavour
14:19Now, Katerina, crucially, does B meet your definition of carbonara?
14:25Yes
14:26Oh, it does?
14:27Yes, it's got more flavour, the cheese
14:30It tasted like, you know, the right ingredients in there
14:35Well, that has me kicking about the clouds, really
14:38Spaghetti carbonara B may be a hit with our nonnas
14:42But the origins of this classic Italian dish aren't so clear-cut
14:45There are numerous theories about its origin
14:51The name carbonara means coal burner
14:55So some believe it was created as a hearty, easy dish that men making charcoal enjoyed in the 19th century
15:01Another popular theory is that it was created by American soldiers stationed in Italy during World War II
15:11Who used their rations of eggs, bacon and pasta to make this nourishing meal
15:15Today, of course, there are numerous takes on what has become one of Italy's most popular dishes
15:28But what do our Italian food lovers think of the next supermarket offering?
15:33Diners, it's time to taste spaghetti carbonara C
15:41Not close to carbonara, but nice pasta dish
15:44Now, a little birdie tells me this is your favourite Italian dish, carbonara
15:50It is. It's got a lot of pepper in it
15:52It's a very strong cheese as well
15:54They've maybe put too much cheese in it
15:56Right
15:58So which of our pasta dishes will take the crown?
16:01Diners, it's time to vote for your favourite spaghetti carbonara
16:05A, B, or C
16:08Or C, Katarina
16:09Watch out, Tom, or she'll be after your job
16:14And while the diners vote on their favourite
16:18In the kitchen, Chef Mike reveals the secrets of shop-bought carbonaras
16:24I'm not surprised that our diners think some of these are not authentic carbonaras
16:29And that's because the supermarkets are sitting on a massive secret
16:33They've reinvented carbonara
16:34In a real carbonara, there's no cream in sight
16:37It's made from raw egg yolks
16:39That's the big difference between the authentic carbonara and what the supermarkets produce
16:45Raw egg yolk is a no-go in a ready meal
16:49You couldn't actually reheat a carbonara made from raw egg yolks in the microwave
16:55It would scramble
16:56So to create the creamy texture made by the egg yolk and pasta water in a genuine carbonara, the supermarkets have to add cream
17:06If you look at this first one, you can clearly see the amount of cream
17:13And if I look at the ingredients, there's not an egg in sight
17:16But if you fancy a genuine carbonara, Mike's going to show you how it's done
17:25After adding his pasta to boiling salted water, he separates egg yolks from the whites
17:32And grates some Italian cheese
17:34I'm adding my freshly grated pecolino
17:37A classic carbonara is made with guanciale, or cured pork cheek
17:44But pancetta, or cured pork belly, is often used
17:48A little trick is we're taking that fat that's come from cooking our guanciale
17:55And we're going to whisk that through our egg mix
17:59Just a little bit at a time
18:00We don't want to scramble the egg yolks
18:03And that's the key to getting a silky, smooth and creamy carbonara
18:08But without the cream
18:10He then adds a splash of pasta water and his al dente spaghetti to the egg and cheese mix
18:17Let's not forget now
18:19That beautiful, crispy guanciale
18:24Which is just finishing off this beautiful, simple, classic dish
18:30This is an authentic carbonara
18:33Delicious, pass me a fork
18:36Back in the restaurant, it's the moment of truth for the supermarket versions
18:42Well diners, your votes are in
18:46And it's a crystal clear winner
18:50With a whopping 12 votes
18:52It is
18:55Carbonara B
19:00It's Charlie Bigum's
19:03Carbonara
19:05So the results for the three carbonara choices are
19:08Charlie Bigum's spaghetti carbonara is the clear winner
19:13At £6 for 338 grams
19:15In second place is Asda's Bistro Spaghetti Pancetta Carbonara at £4 for 400 grams
19:26And coming third is Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Pancetta Carbonara at £4.50 for 375 grams
19:33They're all single portions
19:37But prices vary considerably
19:40The winner, Charlie Bigum's, is almost double the price of Asda's offering
19:45With that in mind
19:46Is there anyone that would change their choice just to save a little bit of money?
19:54No
19:56No? No!
19:58I might
19:59If B is almost double the price of C
20:03Like I would go more for C to be honest
20:06He has some finishing, nice finishing touches
20:08Like the black pepper that reminds me of a nice carbonara
20:11C wins for authenticity
20:13Authenticity, yeah
20:14So aside from maybe Luigi
20:17It seems our diners are happy to splash the cash when it comes to spaghetti carbonara
20:23Dear diners
20:26Ella legge
20:28It's the law
20:30I've been told
20:32That where there is pasta
20:34There must also be
20:36Garlic bread
20:38But of course the big question on debt is
20:41Who does it best?
20:42Shall we find out?
20:44Yes!
20:50In this round, our diners will be putting three supermarket budget ranges to the test
20:56Really nice strong garlic smell
20:59But of course they have no idea which is which
21:02We've just got the call, they're ready for next course
21:05Let's get these cooking
21:08The supermarket budget ranges are
21:10Little simply garlic baguettes
21:14Morrison savours garlic baguette
21:18And Waitrose essential garlic baguette
21:21Bread!
21:23Bread, bread, bread, bread
21:25That's the one for me
21:27Leave some of this for me
21:29Diners, it's time to try garlic bread, eh?
21:33A
21:38Different amount of garlic
21:40Yeah, but I like that
21:42It's got a nice gooey thinner
21:44And the garlic is garlic ink
21:47I might have another piece
21:49Fizz, I saw your eyes light up at the look of garlic bread, eh?
21:54Does it live up to its looks?
21:57I like things to have a bit of texture on them, you know?
22:00A little bit of colour, a little bit of vibrancy
22:02Yes, there are great grooves in that crust, aren't there?
22:05That enable it to get ever so slightly caramelised
22:07Exactly, it's been cooked nicely
22:09Has it been cooked so nicely that I might get 16 bars from it?
22:12Thank you
22:28Oh, belle, oh sole, oh sole mio,
22:41Steinfronte a te, Steinfronte a te.
22:53Bravissimo!
22:55And after that musical interlude, it's back to business.
23:01Will garlic bread B also hit the high notes?
23:05Very delicato. More buttery than garlic.
23:09If I make garlic bread at home myself, this is what it would taste like.
23:12Exactly that.
23:16But how will garlic bread C perform?
23:20I would say if I certainly wouldn't buy this.
23:24No, definitely not.
23:26I don't think I want any more.
23:28Now I haven't tasted this, but garlic bread C looks considerably less buttery to me.
23:34I don't know if that's borne out by flavour, Claire.
23:37It's not going to wow me, but I do think it's just slightly more flavoursome than the other two.
23:42Very interesting.
23:44With the garlic bread savoured, the diners must now decide which they prefer.
23:50Diners, it's time to cast your votes for your favourite garlic bread, A, B or C.
24:00Coming up, the results of our garlic bread taste test.
24:04There's a comfortable winner.
24:06And our diners rate cheese ravioli.
24:09It doesn't scream cheesy.
24:10No, it doesn't scream cheesy.
24:11Welcome back to the taste test restaurant where we're sampling some of the nation's favourite Italian foods.
24:30My delicious diners are voting on an iconic Italian side dish.
24:36But before I reveal their verdict, Mike's going to reveal the secret to a deliziosa garlic bread.
24:43In the kitchen, Mike's about to inspect the garlic baguettes.
24:48The budget brands he's comparing are Lidl Simply Garlic Baguettes,
24:53Morrison savours garlic baguettes and Waitrose essential garlic baguettes.
25:00In order to assess the fillings, Mike's going to inspect them in their uncooked state.
25:05Starting with the Waitrose budget range baguettes.
25:09So I want to really get inside now and see what's in there once we break it apart.
25:14The smell of garlic is very strong, quite pungent.
25:18I think that's a generous amount of filling right there on that slice.
25:22And if you look at the ingredients, they've got chopped garlic in here,
25:25but then they've got 9% butter as well, which for a budget product is great to see.
25:30Next is the Morrison savours baguette, which is 88 pence cheaper than the Waitrose one,
25:36but it's a slightly smaller product.
25:39So let's have a closer look at Morrison's.
25:41Definitely not as generous on the filling, I don't think, as the Waitrose,
25:45but there's herbs in there, which is nice to see.
25:48So let's have a look at the ingredients.
25:51There's no butter.
25:53What I can see is rapeseed oil and palm oil and skim milk powder.
26:00It's essentially like a margarine-based spread.
26:02And to be fair, that's reflected in the price.
26:05This is a budget product.
26:07So with just 9% butter in the Waitrose baguette
26:11and a margarine-type mix in the Morrison's, how will the Lidl one compare?
26:16Another budget option is Lidl.
26:18Definitely more filling than the last one.
26:21I can smell more garlic as well on the nose.
26:24I can't see any milk powder, definitely no butter.
26:28They write here margarine, palm oil, rapeseed oil.
26:32So, yeah, this is like a vegetable-based spread.
26:35So it's accidentally vegan because without the milk or the dairy-based products,
26:39that's what's helping keep the cost down.
26:41For me, at garlic bread, butter is so key, so important.
26:46I mean, it's bread and butter. It's the whole thing, right?
26:49But will the difference in the fillings impact the diner's votes?
26:55Back in the restaurant, it's crunch time in the game of the garlic breads.
27:01I would say there's a comfortable winner because it has 11 votes.
27:07It is...
27:10Garlic bread...
27:13A.
27:18Now, this was a Waitrose garlic bread.
27:22So, in the battle of the budget garlic breads,
27:25the clear winner and the most expensive
27:28is Waitrose Essential Garlic Baguette
27:31at £1.25 for 210 grams.
27:36In second place, it's B, Morrison Savors Garlic Baguette
27:41at 37 pence for 170 grams.
27:44And coming third is C, Little Simply Garlic Baguettes
27:49at 74 pence for 340 grams.
27:53But as there are two garlic baguettes in the pack,
27:56it actually works out the same price as the Morrison's.
27:59Well, given that the winning garlic bread
28:03was almost three times the price of the second-place Morrison's,
28:08would anybody switch?
28:12Oh, Sarah, your hand shot her!
28:15I certainly would for nearly three times the price, Tom.
28:18For the sake of saving a few barb,
28:20I would definitely make the switch.
28:23So, despite the winning garlic baguette
28:26being the only one containing butter,
28:28it seems some diners would think again about paying more for it.
28:32Dear diners, I promise it's jolly nearly
28:37time for dessert.
28:39But first, there's one more savoury dish,
28:41which is extraordinarily handy when you're tight for time.
28:44We've all had it in our cupboards and fridges at some stage.
28:48It is cheese ravioli.
28:55We've got to do service now in ten minutes.
28:58So let's get these raviolis cooking, please.
29:01In this round, it's between supermarket, mid and budget ranges.
29:06As ever, our diners don't know which brands A, B and C are from.
29:11The supermarket choices are...
29:13Sainsbury's Four Cheese Ravioli in a tomato and basil sauce.
29:18Tesco Cheese Ravioli in tomato sauce.
29:23The only brand in our test that comes in a tin.
29:26And M&S Food Four Cheese Ravioli.
29:29They are all 400-gram portion sizes.
29:34Service!
29:36Make sure the plate rims are nice and clean, guys.
29:38So A is cheap. It's cheap.
29:44Diners, it's time to taste cheese ravioli A.
29:51Cheese Ravioli A.
29:56This one smells like cat food, you know?
29:58Yeah.
30:00Oh, meow.
30:05That's disgusting.
30:06I haven't eaten ravioli in four years.
30:08They ain't got no better.
30:10Hey, to be honest, it's not got a bad taste of it.
30:12Oh, mate.
30:13Maybe cheese ravioli B might be more appealing.
30:22It's a really sweet sauce, actually.
30:24It's quite fake tomato to me.
30:26Really?
30:27Oh, we disagree.
30:29And finally, does cheese ravioli C live up to its name?
30:38It doesn't scream cheesy.
30:40No, it doesn't scream cheesy.
30:41C's got the best sauce, but the ravioli itself, it's not that great.
30:48But the true test for any Italian dish lies with the Italian grannies or nonnas.
30:54I deliberately left you until last in the hope that one of them would have pleased you particularly by then.
31:00Has one?
31:01Oh, yes.
31:02Yes.
31:03Let us see.
31:04Let us see!
31:05Oh!
31:06Why is it so good, Victoria?
31:08I think the sauce tasted almost handmade.
31:13It could almost be made by a nonna.
31:16Yes.
31:17Yes.
31:18But there's something missing that we would add, wouldn't we?
31:20Yes.
31:21It's parmesan.
31:23Oh, I am so with you.
31:25Delicious.
31:26Delicious.
31:27Oh.
31:28So are you, Tom.
31:31Ravioli C is a winner with our nonnas.
31:34But what do the rest of our guests think?
31:36Diners, it's time to vote for your favourite cheese ravioli.
31:42Is it A, B, or C?
31:47And while the diners vote on their favourite, in the kitchen, Chef Mike is taking a forensic
31:55approach to the pasta parcels and wants to interrogate the cheesy fillings.
32:00So I'm going to go straight in with this first one from Sainsbury's.
32:06And the cheeses you've got is cheddar, mozzarella, you've got ricotta, and a hard cheese.
32:12But there is only 15% cheese in this one.
32:16So M&S is another four-cheese ravioli here.
32:20You've got some herbs through this one as well.
32:22I like the look of this tomato sauce too.
32:25So the cheeses you've got in here are ricotta, mozzarella, rigato, and a hard cheddar.
32:32It's got 23% cheese in it.
32:34It's a premium product.
32:37Finally, it's the tinned cheese ravioli from Tesco, the budget option,
32:42coming in at just 80p for a 400-gram can.
32:46This takes me back to my uni days, tinned ravioli.
32:50They're very small ravioli.
32:52The pasta's quite thick.
32:54It has 2.5% cheese filling, so it really is quite a small amount of cheese.
32:59But it's Emmental, so at least it's a good cheese that they're using
33:03at a very affordable price.
33:05It's only 80p.
33:06I mean, that's great value for a tin of ravioli.
33:12How will the different cheeses in the fillings affect the vote?
33:15It's time for the results of the rival ravioli.
33:19Well, diners, your votes are in.
33:22And one ravioli has a whopping 14 votes.
33:27Oh!
33:28Oh!
33:29It's ravioli C.
33:33Oh!
33:35And this ravioli is from M&S.
33:40The results are...
33:41The runaway winner in first place is M&S Food 4 Cheese Ravioli
33:47at £3.75 for 400 grams.
33:51In second place, it's Sainsbury's 4 Cheese Ravioli
33:54at £3.30 for 400 grams.
33:57And in bottom position, with no votes, and by far the cheapest,
34:02is Tesco Cheese Ravioli in Tomato Sauce with Emmental
34:06at just 80p for 400 grams.
34:09That's almost a fifth of the price of the winning ravioli.
34:13Well, it's a room-wide swerve for ravioli A
34:17and a very triumphant ravioli C.
34:20Bravo, diners!
34:22Coming up...
34:23Time to taste test one of the nation's favourite Italian desserts.
34:28Wow!
34:29I can smell the alcohol and see. That's strong.
34:32And Chef Mike gives his opinion on the tiramisu options.
34:37It definitely looks like the premium option.
34:40It looks more like a traditional tiramisu.
34:54Dear diners, I did promise you dessert.
34:57And my goodness, you deserve dessert.
35:01And I've only got one in mind, laced with coffee and booze.
35:06It will perk you up and loosen inhibitions at the same time.
35:11Pass me a spoon.
35:13It is, of course...
35:14Tiramisu.
35:15Tiramisu.
35:16Tiramisu.
35:17Tiramisu.
35:22This final round is a competition between a premium, a mid and a budget supermarket dessert.
35:28The smell is in the air right now.
35:31Oh, I want to get my spoon out.
35:34The desserts they're tasting are...
35:37Sainsbury's Classic Tiramisu.
35:40M&S Food Tiramisu.
35:43And Little Milbona Desserts Tiramisu.
35:46All right, service, please! Let's go, service!
35:50Oh, wow.
35:52Oh, wow, I can smell it.
35:54I can smell the alcohol and see. That's strong.
35:57Dear diners, it's time to taste Tiramisu A.
36:04A looks very manufactured.
36:10Mm-hmm.
36:12If you just had the cream, it's really enjoyable.
36:17It's the sponge that's quite intense for me.
36:21Will tiramisu B fare better?
36:28This is more authentic than A.
36:30The sponge is not soaked, so, like, it's better because it's, like, less soaked.
36:35You can taste the cream.
36:37It's more balanced.
36:39It's closer to what a tiramisu looks like in Italy as well.
36:47Oh, that's nice.
36:49Oh, that's nice. It's lighter.
36:50It's lighter.
36:52Hello, boys. Talk to me about tiramisu B.
36:56I think it's a little bit lighter than A, so, in A, you can taste the coffee a lot more, the chocolate a lot more.
37:02I think if you like coffee, you'd go for A. Yeah.
37:04Right.
37:05Right.
37:06If you'd want a hint of coffee, go for B.
37:08Because of that little kick of coffee, I'm going for A because of that.
37:12Oh, gosh.
37:13You're going to be dancing on the gingham runner in a minute, aren't you?
37:16You'll wake all night tonight, son.
37:18With all that coffee, no wonder tiramisu is stimulating.
37:24Indeed, the word means pick-me-up in an old Italian dialect.
37:29Traditionally, this Italian dessert has a base of Savoyardi biscuits, or ladyfingers, which have been dunked in coffee and masala wine.
37:39It's then layered with a mascarpone cream cheese filling and dusted with cacao powder, or pure cocoa.
37:47Early records suggest it originated in Treviso in northeast Italy in around 1800.
37:54It's even rumored that a brothel madam invented it as an aphrodisiac for her clients.
38:01However, a restaurant in Treviso is also credited with its invention after it appeared on the dessert menu in the early 1970s.
38:10It's clearly a controversial dessert, but will the frisky origins of this dish ignite passions in the dining room?
38:18Diners, it's time to try tiramisu si.
38:31It's very nice.
38:37Mmm.
38:38Absolutely delicious.
38:40Delicious.
38:42I want to lick the plate.
38:44The flavours begin to pop.
38:46Yeah, yeah.
38:47The booze is definitely there.
38:48No.
38:50Wait, hold on, something's kicking in now.
38:52Mm-hmm.
38:53Hold on.
38:54So, some strong flavours, but will that win over our guests?
38:58Dear diners, it's time to vote for your favourite tiramisu.
39:03Will it be A, B, or C?
39:08And while they vote,
39:11Chef Mike dissects the different desserts to see how the supermarkets make theirs, starting with the Sainsbury's one.
39:20It's quite a decent amount of mascarpone filling there.
39:25I like the amount of cacao on top.
39:27I want to have a closer look at this sponge because you can see just how much moisture is in this sponge.
39:33That's just too much.
39:34It's essentially a coffee syrup, and traditionally, you're supposed to dip your lady fingers into the syrup and then take them out.
39:43It's not supposed to be, like, sitting in the syrup.
39:46Taking a look at the little option...
39:49It's a thick layer of sponge, probably a little bit too thick for me.
39:54The mascarpone layer on top, that looks quite airy.
39:57You see lots of air bubbles, which means it's going to eat really easily, because it'll be super light.
40:02They're quite generous with the calco dusting on top.
40:06So, looking at this, it's actually got 16% mascarpone, which is very generous.
40:12Like, Sainsbury's only had 7%.
40:15And finally, the M&S food dessert, which has 10% mascarpone.
40:19It definitely looks like the premium option.
40:23You can see the beautiful individual lady fingers, that light, aerated mascarpone filling in the middle, and a generous dusting of cacao on top.
40:33There's less of that coffee syrup in there, and it looks more like a traditional tiramisu.
40:40But do our diners prefer the more authentic look?
40:44Upstairs, it's results time for the three tiramisu.
40:48Well, diners, the votes are in, and it's our closest call, which maybe proves that one man's tiramisu is another man's poison.
40:57I don't know.
40:58I don't know.
40:59But the winner is Tiramisu B, which is from M&S beating Sainsbury's Tiramisu in 2nd place with 5 votes, and Liddle's Tiramisu in 3rd place with 4 votes, which was Tiramisu A.
41:23All three desserts are 500 grams.
41:28So first is B, M&S food tiramisu, the most expensive at £4 per pack.
41:36Second is C, Sainsbury's classic tiramisu at £3.30.
41:42And A, the cheapest, came bottom, the Liddle Milbona desserts tiramisu at £2.69.
41:49So a closely run race in the dessert round, showing it's really a matter of individual taste.
41:56Dear diners, I feel so spoiled to have you today.
42:00The critiques have been excellent and indescribably helpful.
42:06So all that remains is for me to say, grazie mille!
42:10And with that, our Italian feast is drawing to a close.
42:20As the taste test restaurant packs up for the night, it's been a revealing repast.
42:24As my Italian diners have been telling me, it seems we've been eating a very British take on Italian foods.
42:31And today, the premium supermarkets and brands delivered the best.
42:37But whatever you decide to pop into your trolley, make sure it's bellissimo.
42:43Arrivederci.
42:44Arrivederci.
42:47Next time.
42:49I'm definitely having some more.
42:51There are extra helpings of foodie fabulousness.
42:54So good!
42:56When the diners are served supermarket poshnosh.
42:58That's oozing like crazy.
43:01But it turns out, not everyone's a fan.
43:04I thought it was like dog food, to be honest.
43:05Oh, Nick!
43:07And the taste test restaurant reopens next Thursday at seven.
43:11James and Helen are struggling to plan a date night.
43:14But tricky woos having better luck.
43:16He knew all creatures great and small at nine.
43:19And getting us in the mood next.
43:21Dan and Helen uncover explosive secrets hidden in a quaint village of Yorkshire great and small.
43:35In the meantime, I will be the one who's on the beach.
43:38Listen to those who are on the beach.
43:40Only a little bit of a beach.
43:42And for the beach.
43:44It looks like you are on the beach.
43:46Counting the beach.
43:48The beach.
43:50The beach.
43:52The beach.
43:55Dillon the beach.
43:57And the beach.
43:59And there you go.
44:02To the beach.
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