Anchovies & Onions Pasta - Chef in Venice shares Recipe - Bigoli in Salsa Summer Version

Ingredients

• 250 g Bigoli Pasta (Traditional thick spaghetti made with durum wheat and eggs; can substitute with bucatini or thick spaghetti)
• 0.5 medium Red Onion (Peeled and thinly sliced; provides sweet flavor for summer version)
• 6 fillets Anchovy Fillets (High‑quality, salt‑cured anchovies; rinse if overly salty)
• 4 medium Ripe Tomatoes (Blended and strained to make clear tomato water)
• 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (For sweating the onion; optional drizzle at finish)
• 1 pinch Sea Salt (Adds moisture to onion; anchovies provide most seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper (To taste, added at the end)

Instructions

1. Prepare Ingredients

   Peel the red onion, slice it thinly, and set aside. Chop the anchovy fillets finely. Wash the tomatoes.

   Time: PT5M

2. Make Tomato Water

   Blend the tomatoes until smooth, then pour through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a bowl. Let the liquid sit to separate clear water from pulp.

   Time: PT10M

3. Sweat the Onion

   Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the sliced red onion and a pinch of sea salt, cover, and let it sweat slowly for about 15 minutes until very soft but not colored.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: Low heat

4. Incorporate Anchovies

   Stir the chopped anchovies into the softened onion and cook for another 5 minutes, breaking them down until the mixture resembles a coarse puree.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Low heat

5. Add Tomato Water

   Pour the clear tomato water into the pan, bring to a gentle simmer, and let it cook for 5 minutes so the flavors meld.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium‑low

6. Cook the Bigoli

   While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the bigoli and cook for 13‑14 minutes until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

   Time: PT14M

   Temperature: Boiling

7. Combine Pasta and Sauce

   Drain the bigoli and add it directly to the sauce pan. Toss gently, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Finish with freshly ground black pepper and an optional drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

   Time: PT3M

8. Plate and Serve

   Divide the pasta between two plates, garnish with a little extra pepper if desired, and serve immediately while warm.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

460

Protein

15 g

Carbohydrates

70 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

4 g