Pici all’aglione
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Pici all’aglione
Pici (pronounced PEE-chee) is a hand-rolled fresh eggless pasta which is traditional in Siena. You’ll have lots of fun making it with your guests!
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 1.1 lb (500 g) all purpose (plain) flour
- 1 whole egg (optional)
- 1 cup (250 ml) water, at room temperature (or less, if egg is used)
For the sauce:
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 8 medium-sized cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
- 1 chilli pepper (optional) or dried ginger
- 2 lb (800 g) peeled tomatoes, pureed
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt to taste
Instructions
For the sauce:
- In a saucepan, gently heat the oil with the garlic and chilli pepper; then add the strained tomatoes and sugar. Let this simmer for about 30 minutes. Add salt to taste.
- Drain the pici and serve them with the hot sauce and grated parmesan and/or pecorino cheese.
For the pasta:
- Sift the flour onto a large wooden board and make a well. Add the lightly beaten egg and a little of the water. Start mixing the dough, adding water if it seems too dry to come together. When the dough has come together, knead for about 20 minutes. You need a soft but not sticky dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
- After the dough has rested, cut off small pieces of it and roll it with your fingers on the board until you get a thick “spaghetto” shape, almost 20 cm long. This process is called “appiciare”, in other words “making pici”.
- Place them on a well-floured cloth: it is better to not let them dry to avoid them breaking.
- Bring plenty of water to boil, add the salt and boil the pici for about 4-5 minutes. Important: don’t stir the pici for the first 3-4 minutes, otherwise they all break!
