Is Luigi Mangione How Pizza Beans Finally Go Mainstream? | Eater
"While reporting on the accused, CNN’s Jean Carroll noted that in his confinement at the State Correctional Institution at Huntingdon he had the choice for dinner between "chicken Parmesan and something called pizza beans." The piece traces the culinary reference: Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen first developed the recipe for her 2017 cookbook Smitten Kitchen Every Day and describes it as "a mash-up of a giant-beans-in-tomato-sauce dish from Greece and American-style baked ziti, with beans instead of noodles," arriving at a party under the formal name "Tomato-Braised Gigante Bean Gratin" but being lovingly nicknamed pizza beans by potluck attendees; Ali Sagle later published a similar recipe in the New York Times, and the phrase now refers to any cheesy, tomato-based bean casserole. Perelman told Eater, "When I created this recipe for my second cookbook, Smitten Kitchen Every Day in 2017, I wouldn’t have in a million years expected it to land on a prison menu," and added, "I have to make clear that the Smitten Kitchen doesn’t condone or endorse murder, however the memes are hilarious." She also said, "I’d like to think that this means that inmates are receiving balanced and nutritious meals with solid vegetarian options. Little I’ve read about actual experiences in prison supports this, but this makes me hopeful, nonetheless," and, "I hope they serve it scooped onto garlic bread, like we do at home." Reporters also recorded fellow inmates calling through their windows "Free Luigi!" and "Luigi’s conditions suck!" Meanwhile, a report from Impact Justice found that "over 62 percent of prisoners say they have no access to fresh vegetables," and that "cuts or stagnant spending in what already comprises a minuscule portion of a prison system’s overall budget ... have led to fewer hot meals, smaller portions, lower-quality protein, and more ultra-processed foods that can be quickly heated and served; along with poorly equipped and ill-supervised kitchens that further compromise food quality and safety." The article ties the viral interest in a recipe to broader concern about meal quality, noting that lack of fresh produce and reliance on ultra-processed foods "ultimately leads to negative health outcomes for all prisoners, whether they’ve been convicted or are just awaiting trial." - Jaya Saxena
