Cinnamon is commonly used in savory dishes in Moroccan, Indian and Persian cuisines – and Italian, too. Renaissance dishes used cinnamon and nutmeg in soups, roast meats and pasta. In The Fine Art of Italian Cooking, Giuliano Bugialli presents a recipe for Carabaccia – Renaissance Onion Soup – that calls for a hefty five teaspoons of cinnamon, plus sugar, blanched almonds, onions and meat broth. Today, Venetian cuisine in particular reflects the influences of centuries of spice trading with the Far East. This easy dish combines sweet onions, salty anchovies and the tang of cinnamon.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large purple onions, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces good-quality oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained
- 1 pound whole-wheat bigoli
- Generous pinch ground cinnamon
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
About this recipe
Serves 4 Bigoli are long extruded pasta strands, thicker than spaghetti, sometimes made with whole-wheat flour. We found bigoli at Casa Tua Cucina at Brickell City Centre. Substitute whole-wheat spaghetti or perciatelli.
Instructions
Heat oil over low heat in a large frying pan. Add onions and cook slowly until soft and translucent, stirring frequently. Add ¾ cup hot water. Cook and stir over low heat for about 25 minutes, or until onions have fallen apart. Add anchovy fillets and mash with a spoon. Cook 5 minutes until they have dissolved. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Add salt and pasta. Cook until al dente. Saving some cooking water for the sauce, add drained pasta to the sauce, and toss gently over medium heat, adding reserved cooking water if necessary to coat the strands. Sprinkle with cinnamon and ground black pepper and chopped parsley and toss again before serving.
