Bigoli are a thick - stranded pasta, similar in diameter to bucatini, but without the hole. They are popular in Lombardia and the Veneto, and in the Veneto are often served with chicken giblet sauce, which is tomatoless and very traditional.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings Bigoli
Ingredients:
- 2/3 pound (300 g) chicken giblets (gizzards, cockscombs, hearts, and livers)
- A sprig of fresh sage
- A sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup (100 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (50 g) freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano
- Salt
- Bigoli (figure 3/4 pound, or about 320 g for 4 people; cook them in salted water, timing the cooking so they will be done when the sauce is -- if you cannot find bigoli, use bucatini)
Preparation:
Clean and wash the gizzards.
Bring a small pot of water to boil, salt it lightly, and simmer them for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, and dice them finely.
Use a needle to prick the cockscombs and boil them for 5 minutes. Drain them, skin them, and chop them.
Wash the hearts and livers under cold running water, removing filaments and fat, and all traces of bile (greenish parts on the livers). Chop the hearts, and crumble the livers with your fingers.
Heat the butter with the sage and rosemary, and when it begins to crackle add the chopped gizzards, cockscombs and hearts, and simmer for about 15 minutes over a low flame.
Remove the herbs, add the livers, season to taste, and cook, stirring, over a brisk flame for about 3 minutes.
Use the sauce to season your bigoli (figure 3/4 pound, or about 320 g for 4 people), serving the cheese at table for those who want it.
A note: in traditional restaurants of the Veneto, you will likely come across bigoli served with this giblet sauce, a tomato sauce, and peas -- you season your pasta as you see fit, adding cheese if you want. The wine? Red, and Valpolicella would be just about perfect.
Bring a small pot of water to boil, salt it lightly, and simmer them for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, and dice them finely.
Use a needle to prick the cockscombs and boil them for 5 minutes. Drain them, skin them, and chop them.
Wash the hearts and livers under cold running water, removing filaments and fat, and all traces of bile (greenish parts on the livers). Chop the hearts, and crumble the livers with your fingers.
Heat the butter with the sage and rosemary, and when it begins to crackle add the chopped gizzards, cockscombs and hearts, and simmer for about 15 minutes over a low flame.
Remove the herbs, add the livers, season to taste, and cook, stirring, over a brisk flame for about 3 minutes.
Use the sauce to season your bigoli (figure 3/4 pound, or about 320 g for 4 people), serving the cheese at table for those who want it.
A note: in traditional restaurants of the Veneto, you will likely come across bigoli served with this giblet sauce, a tomato sauce, and peas -- you season your pasta as you see fit, adding cheese if you want. The wine? Red, and Valpolicella would be just about perfect.
