Bigoli con l'anatra — or bigoli co l'arna, as they say in Veneto — are one of the most representative pasta dishes of north-eastern Italian culinary tradition, with deep roots in the province of Vicenza. A dish simple in appearance, but rich in history and flavour.
Bigoli are a fresh pasta made with flour, eggs, butter, salt and water. They are immediately recognisable by their shape: thick spaghetti, 3-4 mm in diameter, not hollow, with a slightly rough surface — a feature that makes them perfect for holding sauces. They were traditionally extruded with a special bronze press fixed onto a bench, a tool that required a certain physical strength and was typically operated by the men of the household.
A pasta dish that comes from far away
Ingredients for 4 people
For the bigoli:
- 400 g of flour
- 2 eggs
- 20 g of softened butter
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 50 ml of warm water
For the ragù:
- 400 g of minced duck meat
- 60 g of butter
- 1 onion
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1 carrot
- 100 ml of dry white wine
- 200 ml of meat stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano to serve
Preparation
Start with the dough: arrange the flour in a well on a board, add the eggs, softened butter, salt and warm water in the centre. Knead vigorously for about ten minutes until you obtain a smooth, elastic ball of dough, then let it rest, covered, for at least 30 minutes. After resting, pass the dough through the bigolaro press — or alternatively a pasta extruder with a wide die — to obtain the spaghettoni. Lay them out on a floured tray without overlapping.
For the ragù, finely chop the onion, celery and carrot and let them soften in a pan with the butter over medium heat. Add the minced duck and brown over high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Deglaze with white wine and let the alcohol evaporate, then lower the flame, gradually add the stock and let it simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper. Note: Veneto duck ragù does not contain tomato — the flavour is built entirely on the meat, the wine and the butter.
Cook the bigoli in plenty of salted water — being a thick pasta, keep an eye on the cooking and taste — then drain them al dente and toss them directly in the pan with the ragù for a minute. Serve with a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano.
If you enjoyed this recipe, also try the frog risotto and the traditional grattini!💡 Traditional version: originally bigoli were cooked in the broth in which a whole duck had been boiled, and the dressing also included the offal. The modern version, leaner and more practical, uses minced muscovy duck — the most widespread today in Veneto butchers' shops.