Non-VegetarianVeneta cuisine Main Course

Bigoli in Salsa

Name: Bigoli in Salsa
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Veneta
Ingredients: 400 g wholemeal bigoli; 400 g white onions; 100 g salted anchovy fillets; 80 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 50 ml Dry white wine; 2 g Black pepper; 15 g coarse sea salt

Bigoli in salsa is a classic Venetian pasta dish of rough wholewheat bigoli tossed in a savoury sauce of slowly melted sweet onions and salted anchovies.

🇮🇹Italy· Veneto

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 520 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

400 g wholemeal bigoli — traditional thick extruded wholewheat pasta
400 g white onions — peeled and very finely sliced
100 g salted anchovy fillets — rinsed, boned, and roughly chopped
80 ml Extra virgin olive oil — good quality, mild flavour
50 ml Dry white wine — such as Pinot Grigio or Soave
2 g Black pepper — freshly cracked to taste
15 g coarse sea salt — for the pasta cooking water

Equipment

•Large heavy-bottomed frying pan
•Large stockpot
•Chef's knife
•Wooden spoon
•Colander

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 520 kcal
fat: 20 g
carbs: 68 g
fibre: 6 g
protein: 19 g
calories: 520 kcal

Instructions

1
Peel the white onions and slice them into very thin, translucent half-moons.
2
Rinse the salted anchovies in cold water, remove any remaining spine bones, and pat dry.
3
Warm the olive oil in a wide frying pan over low heat.
4
Add the sliced onions and a small splash of water to keep them from frying.
5
Cook the onions gently for 25 minutes until completely soft and sweet without browning.
6
Add the chopped anchovies and dry white wine to the softened onions.
7
Stir over low heat, pressing the fish with a wooden spoon until it melts into a smooth paste.
8
Cook the bigoli in a large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente.
9
Transfer the hot pasta into the onion sauce along with two tablespoons of pasta water.
10
Toss everything together over low heat for one minute until the pasta is coated.
11
Season with a pinch of black pepper and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Cook the onions very slowly over low heat; they must melt into a paste rather than brown or crisp. Go easy on the salt in the pasta water because the melted anchovies provide significant seasoning. Never add grated cheese, as traditional Venetian seafood and fish pasta is served without dairy.

Ingredient substitutions

salted anchovy fillets → salt-cured sardines (sarde sotto sale) or high-quality oil-packed anchovies
wholemeal bigoli → thick wholewheat spaghetti, bucatini, or pici

Storage

Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a spoonful of warm water to loosen the sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Browning or frying the onions, which makes the sauce bitter instead of sweet and soft.
•Over-salting the pasta cooking water when using preserved salt-cured fish.
•Adding grated Parmesan or Grana Padano, which overwhelms the delicate fish and onion balance.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot in shallow ceramic bowls with a final twist of cracked black pepper.Pair with a crisp Venetian dry white wine such as Soave Classico or Lugana.