Bigoli in
Salsa
Venetian pasta with onion & anchovies
Thick strands of pasta catch a soft onion and anchovy sauce, with sweetness from the onions balancing the fish’s saltiness.
Thick strands with an onion & anchovy coatingSoft onions,
a Venetian pasta sauce.
Bigoli in salsa is a Venetian pasta dish with an onion and preserved-fish sauce. Bigoli are thick strands with enough texture to hold the soft onions. Anchovies dissolve into the oil, giving the sauce an assertive savory flavor rather than remaining as separate pieces.
Salt-preserved sardines also appear in regional versions. The recipe below chooses drained anchovy fillets and purchased dried bigoli for a straightforward home preparation. The important texture is in the onions: cook them gently until soft enough to merge with the fish, then use pasta water to loosen the sauce.
Explore by food: Fish & seafood · Pasta
Let’s make bigoli in salsa.
Purchased dried bigoli with drained anchovy fillets in oil. The sauce is made while the pasta water heats.
Four first-course portions using dried bigoli.
The 40-minute cooking allowance is elapsed time: heat the pasta water and cook the bigoli while the onions soften.
What you’ll need
- 360 gdried bigoli
- 400 gwhite onions, very thinly sliced
- 80 ganchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and chopped
- 45 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 150 mlwater, for the onions
- 4 lwater, for boiling pasta
- 15 gcoarse salt, for the pasta water
- to tasteblack pepper
Use a deep pot and a second wide pan so the pasta and onions can cook alongside each other. Spaghettoni are a practical substitute if bigoli are unavailable, with a different texture. Taste before adding any extra salt.
How to make it
- 01
Soften the onions
Put oil, onions and 100 ml of the measured onion water in a wide pan. Cover and cook over low heat for 25–30 minutes, stirring often, until very soft. Add the remaining 50 ml water as needed to prevent browning or sticking.
- 02
Cook the pasta
While the onions cook, bring the 4 l water to a boil and add the salt. Time the bigoli according to the packet so they finish near the sauce; begin checking for a firm center 2 minutes before the suggested time. Reserve 250 ml cooking water before draining.
- 03
Dissolve the anchovies
Stir anchovies into the softened onions over low heat for 3–5 minutes. Mash with a wooden spoon until they break down and the onions form a soft sauce.
- 04
Toss and serve
Add drained bigoli and 100 ml reserved pasta water. Toss over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, adding more reserved water in small splashes until the sauce coats the strands. Season with black pepper and serve immediately.
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