The celebration of the Bagnun of anchovies
The Bagnun Festival
The sagra del Bagnun is an annual festival held in the town of Riva Trigoso, near Sestri Levante, a celebration of the typical anchovy-based fish soup that originated in this specific area.
Traditionally set at the end of July, the Bagnun festival features one of Sestri Levante’s most representative traditional recipes: a combination of anchovies, tomato and galette, a dish that releases the typical flavors of the Mediterranean with its unmistakable taste.
Inaugurated in 1960, the Bagnun festival still represents a not-to-be-missed event for tourists or enthusiasts.
An event accompanied by live music, fireworks and theatrical performances transform Riva Trigoso into the pulsating center of the coast for a weekend.
Bagnun soup is distributed free of charge to all participants until late in the evening, a unique opportunity to discover some of the most characteristic flavors of the Ligurian Riviera in an exceptional setting.
And now for the original recipe:
Anchovy bagnun is really very simple to prepare.
Important recommendation: do not stir the anchovies with a spoon but turn them inside the pan gently so as to keep them whole and crispy.
– Finely chop the shallot.
– Cut the garlic in half and remove the central core.
– Clean the anchovies by removing their heads and bones but leaving them whole without opening them so that they do not flake during cooking.
– Sauté the shallot in extra virgin olive oil along with the garlic for a few minutes.
– Add tomato pulp, half a glass of water, white wine and stir.
– Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes to reduce the sauce.
– Add salt and turn up the heat to high: lay the anchovies in the tomato sauce and keep them for 5 minutes with the lid on to get to the end of cooking.
Enjoy, and get ready to make a hearty scarpetta with the bread!
Photo credit https://www.sestri-levante.net
