Bigoli con Amarone

Bigoli con Amarone is a pasta dish from the Veneto region of Italy, specifically associated with the city of Verona. The dish combines bigoli, a thick, whole-wheat spaghetti-like pasta traditionally extruded through a bronze die, with a slow-cooked sauce made from Amarone della Valpolicella, a rich, dried-grape red wine. The sauce typically includes onions, butter, pancetta or guanciale, and aged cheese such as Grana Padano, allowing the wine’s concentrated cherry and raisin notes to deepen without overwhelming the pasta.

A great version achieves a balance where the Amarone is reduced to a silky, almost jammy consistency that clings to the rough surface of fresh bigoli. The pasta should be cooked al dente, and the sauce finished with a generous grating of cheese and a knob of butter for emulsion. Overly acidic or thin sauces, or the use of poor-quality wine, are common pitfalls.

In Verona, Emmanuel Caffè is noted for its interpretation, praised by creator Giovanni Fois for its adherence to local tradition. Variations exist across the Veneto: some cooks add a pinch of cinnamon or cloves, while others incorporate chicken livers for a richer, more rustic sauce. Outside Italy, chefs may substitute dried bigoli or even pappardelle, though the dish’s character relies on the wine’s intensity. Bigoli con Amarone remains a winter specialty, often paired with a glass of the same wine used in cooking.