The sauce needs patience with the onions, rather than a long ingredient list. This home version uses oil-packed anchovies; traditional references also describe salted sardines. It is an adaptation, not the only Veneto formula.
Recipe at a glance
Serves / makes4
Prep10 minutes
Cook30 minutes
SkillEasy
Ingredients
- 320 g dried bigoli, or thick spaghetti as a substitute
- 450 g onions, finely sliced
- 80 g drained oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 100–150 ml water, as needed for the onions
- Black pepper
- Pasta cooking water, as needed
Method
- Warm the oil in a broad pan. Add the onions and 100 ml water. Cover and cook gently for about 20–25 minutes, stirring and adding a splash of water if the pan dries. They should be soft, without dark browning.
- Add the anchovies and stir over low heat until they break down into the onions. Taste before adding any salt.
- Cook the pasta according to its packet. Salt the water lightly: the sauce is already savoury. Save a mug of cooking water before draining.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce. Add small splashes of cooking water until the sauce coats the strands. Finish with black pepper and serve immediately.
The technique that matters
Do not rush the onions over high heat. Soft onion and dispersed fish should form one sauce, rather than separate strips and salty pieces.
Ingredient notes
Contains fish and wheat; fresh bigoli may also contain egg. Thick spaghetti is a useful substitution, with a different texture.
Italy by Taste home adaptation, guided by published regional references. Not kitchen-tested for this edition.