Preparare il ragù come una volta

What does “crepi l’avarizia” mean in Italian?

Crepi l’avarizia literally means “may stinginess die.” Italians use it as a small celebratory phrase the moment they decide to be generous, usually around food, drink, or money. In this clip, the cook pours an extra splash of wine into the ragù, says crepi l’avarizia, and keeps going. The phrase makes the moment feel festive: stinginess loses, generosity wins.

It belongs to the same Italian habit as alla salute or cin cin, those tiny phrases that turn an ordinary moment into something you announce. When cooking come una volta (“the way it used to be done”) is the goal, an extra splash of wine deserves saying out loud.