Bigoli in Salsa
Bigoli in Salsa
Pasta with Oniony Anchovy Sauce
The Festa del Redentore takes place in Venice every third Saturday in July and it is the most epic party ever. It was originally established as a religious celebration to mark the end of a sixteenth-century plague, but it has morphed into a secular celebration that provides the hard-drinking Venetians an opportunity to party until dawn under the guise of tradition. It kicks off with locals filling their decorated boats with all the food and beverages they’ll need for the night’s festivities. Then they gather in the lagoon off Piazza San Marco to watch fireworks set off from floating platforms for the better part of an hour, toasting the pyrotechnics as their boats rhythmically bob. A fixture of the celebration is Tupperware containers filled with bigoli in salsa, pasta tossed with an onion-rich anchovy sauce, which soaks up the booze, keeps you drinking, and just might taste even better cold than hot out of the pan. Whether the Festa del Redentore is happening or not, bigoli in salsa is a fixture on my boat, Laura, during seaborne pinics. I add vinegar for a pleasant acidic counterpoint and although not everyone is on board with the idea (boat pun!), I can report that it is appreciated by nearly 25 percent of my Venetian passengers. Omit the vinegar to satisfy the Venetian traditionalist in your life.
Ingredients (8)
Ingredients (8)
Instructions
Combine the olive oil, onion, and a heavy pinch of salt in a large pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 20 minutes.
Add water a tablespoon at a time to keep the onion cooking without taking on color.
Add the anchovies and cook until they melt into the onion, about 3 minutes.
Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat.
Salt the water until it tastes like a seasoned soup.
Add the bigoli and cook until al dente (see page 28).
Drain and transfer the pasta to the pan with the anchovy sauce.
Season with salt and additional vinegar to taste.
Serve with the parsley sprinkled on top.
This recipe is part of the Food of the Italian Islands digital cookbook, and is only available once you've purchased the cookbook.
Purchase ($25.00)
