1.1 lb Veneto, Italy

Bigoli is a traditional pasta from the Veneto region of northeast Italy; references to bigoli date from the mid-1400s. In 2002 Pastificio Sgambaro re-introduced its bronze-drawn bigoli in three versions: Traditional Mori; Bianchi e Sottili; and Bigoli al Radicchio Rosso. They gave these amazing pastas the name "Bigoli Nobili" to pay tribute to the best culinary traditions of the Veneto region.

About the size of #3 spaghetti, Bigoli takes its name from the extrusion press used to create it. Sgambaro Bigoli "Sottili" (delicate) is made from the best durum semolina grown in Italy; it's a bit thinner than the traditional bigoli "mori", but has the same wonderful flavor. It's particularly good with light sauces and seafood.

About the Producer
Third-generation family-run Pastificio Sgambaro carefully chooses durum wheat varieties that give their pasta its truly high-quality flavor and texture. In their quest to produce the very best pasta possible, the Sgambaro family created the Italian Durum Wheat Project, with the goal of producing pasta with only superior durum wheat grown exclusively on Italian farms - counter to the trend of most large Italian pasta makers who use wheat from the USA and Canada. His pursuit of quality led Jolly Sgambaro became the first Pastificio owner to be awarded the respected "Grano Duro Italiano" (Italian Durum Wheat) product certification.

In 1925 Tullio Sgambaro was famous in the region for his culinary specialties, and in 1947, he opened the first Sgambaro pasta factory in Cittadella near Padua. Eventually the family took over both Pastificio Volpato in Fanzolo and Pastificio Santangelo in Piove. In the 1960s his sons, Dino and Enzo, developed the company further, expanding to add milling of wheat to the pasta-making process. The business has continued to grow since then, thanks primarily to two basic elements: the dedication and enduring passion of Tullio's grandchildren who today operate the company.