Bigoli! Bigoli! Bigoli!

The way I rave about bigoli one would think that after eating a plate of this pasta...no other type of pasta will do. And I would say this is a very accurate assumption, at least in my case. You could say that bigoli ruined me for other pastas.

Bigoli is a traditional pasta of the Veneto region and the name comes from the manual press, the Bigolaro, which is used to make this very long and thick spaghetti-like pasta. The Bigolaro was actually granted an Italian Royal Patent back in 1875. One day I may have to buy myself one of these fantastic bigoli-making contraptions.















I was introduced to this unique type of pasta during my first "soggiorno" (or stay) in Soave about 2-3 years ago. It was the bigoli con pomodorini e lardo di Soave at Enoteca Il Drago. After my first plate of bigoli con pomodorini, I was totally sold.

At Drago, Carlo Colla (the chef & owner of this wonderful wine bar & kitchen) prepares the fresh bigoli pasta with a very simple tomato sauce with lardo di Soave and topped with just a touch of chives and grated parmigiano.

For those who do not know what lardo is...it is pretty much exactly what it sounds like it would be: cured pig's fat. And dang is it tasty.

Bigoli alla carbonara is also an extremely popular dish with this type of pasta (also on the menu at Drago). I cooked this up for myself the other evening. Visual references provided.





















Shockingly enough, I treated myself to Carlo's bigoli con pomodorini last week...and couldn't have asked for a more appropriate and tasty dish for my first meal back in Soave.

- Zucca