So there's a survey of what Italians think are the worst food crimes against Italian food, and how people around the world agree or disagree with the Italians.
The Italian responses are divided into three broad categories: What is Acceptable to Italians, What is Divisive for Italians, and What is (Absolutely) Unacceptable to Italians.
Interestingly, for what is Acceptable to the Italians, Sweden, Denmark, and Hong Kong (online population only) agreed with the Italians. Which suggests that the online HK population is quite aware of how Italian food should be prepared. (Hooray for the Internet!)
India was the most undogmatic (or most bo-chap) of the countries surveyed. More specifically, the "urban online population" of India. They had few strong opinions as to what could or could not be done for Italian food, regardless of whether the Italians think it is acceptable, unacceptable, or is arguable (and Italians LOVE to argue).
Other than a marked disdain for people who do not add salt to the water for cooking pasta, Indians were okay with everything else. Maybe they like to argue about cooking Italian food, too. Mind you, these Indians were the "Urban Online Population" which may be the more cosmopolitan Indians.
But, you're reading this for the Singapore findings. So let's zoom in.
For what is Divisive among Italians, Singaporeans are more tolerant. But we are also divided on the snapping dry spaghetti before cooking it (to fit it all in the pot). On this we are in agreement with the Italians. (Singaporeans take our cooking seriously. If you do not know how to cook long spaghetti without breaking it, you're NOT a cook! Damn amateur!)
But Singaporeans are also more... "cosmopolitan"? We go with what we like, so Garlic Bread with pasta? Good combo! (80%) Cappuccino after an Italian meal? Sounds wonderful! (67%) Cheese with Seafood pasta? That's practically "Surf & Turf" (59%). Pineapple on a pizza? Why not (71%)? We put bak kwa on pizzas too!
Our one reservation is against people who put pasta in cold water and bringing it to a boil. That's just bad cooking! (Have some pride, noob! Learn to do it right!)
Anyway, if you have any Italian friends (who cook, and what Italian doesn't?), you can impress him by taking a strong stance against Hawaiian Pizza (with Pineapples! The Horror!), or adding cream to Carbonara sauce, or drinking cappuccino after an Italian meal, or any one of the "Unacceptable to Italians" things.
A word of caution though. These findings are based on surveys of Italians. So while MOST Italians find pineapples on pizza to be abhorrent (63%), it does mean that it is possible to find an Italian or two who is not ideologically opposed to the idea. So before you rant about pineapples on pizzas, you may want to find out where he stands.
This may be your Italian friend with strong opinions... or the father of the Italian girl you are courting... who owns an Italian restaurant... and you do not want to order a cappuccino after a meal with his daughter at his restaurant!
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