Recipe for Pici all'aglione - pasta from southern Tuscany

Pici all’aglione is a classic from southern Tuscany, specifically from the Val di Chiana. This thick, hand-rolled pasta is served with a fragrant sauce of garlic ( aglione) and tomato. This giant garlic is mild, sweet and mild in flavor, and along with the olive oil and tomatoes makes the perfect sauce for this rustic pasta.

Ingredients

Ingredients for the pici

400 g flour (tipo 00 or a mix of flour and semolina)
180-200 ml of water
Pinch of salt

Ingredients for the sauce

6-8 cloves of garlic (preferably aglione, otherwise regular garlic)
500 g peeled tomatoes (fresh or canned, good quality)
5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt
A pinch of chili (optional)

Preparation

Making pici
Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add water little by little and knead into a smooth, firm dough. Let the dough rest, covered, for 30 minutes. Then divide into small pieces and roll them out by hand into thick, long strands – slightly thicker than spaghetti. Lay them loosely on a floured cloth or board.
The aglione sauce
Crush the garlic cloves and cut them into thin slices. Heat the olive oil in a pan over low heat and gently cook the garlic (± 10 min) until golden and sweet in flavor. Be careful not to brown it. Add the peeled tomatoes and mash them lightly with a fork. Let the sauce simmer gently for 20 min. Season with salt and a little chili if desired.
Cooking & serving
Cook the pici in plenty of salted water until al dente (± 5-6 minutes, depending on thickness). Drain, mix with the sauce and allow to warm briefly in the pan. Serve immediately with an extra dash of olive oil.

📝 Tip: Are you using plain garlic instead of aglione? Then cook it extra slowly so that it becomes soft and mild in flavor.

Buon appetito!

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