Pici all'aglione is a traditional Tuscan dish, particularly from the Val di Chiana.
The dish should be cooked with Chiana garlic, a special and quite rare type of garlic, much larger than a normal head of garlic and with a less pronounced, more delicate flavour than other types of garlic.
Garlic is not easy to find (and when it is, it can be quite expensive), so we propose pici with garlic that we all have at home.
Pici is a pasta format that we have cooked many times before (take a look at our pici with white meat sauce for inspiration), but this traditional sauce is just what we need on these cold days.
Lots of tomatoes and slow cooking to release all the flavours of garlic, this dish is enjoyed by young and old alike and, if you have children in the house who are old enough, they can help out in the kitchen with the fresh pasta!
Try it with...
Filippo Bartolotta
for 4 servings
Step
1
Of 3
In medium bowl, blend semola and flour together, blending well. Add extra-virgin olive oil and enough water to create relatively stiff dough. Be sure to combine ingredients well, mixing until thoroughly combined.
Dough should be relatively stiff - if too soft, add in more semola. After blending several minutes, wrap dough in parchment paper and allow to rest at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Once rested, remove from paper and cut off small piece at a time to work with. Flatten piece with your hands as best possible, and cut into small, thin slices. On wooden cutting board or metal working space, roll each small slice into long strands using your hands.
Flatten each strand delicately to lengthen each piece of dough. Once desired length is reached, place on separate trays and dust well with semola.
Set aside.
Step
2
Of 3
Finely mince garlic. Heat sauté pan with small amount of olive oil. When heated, add minced garlic and allow to cook until lightly golden brown.
Add tomato pulp, adjust to taste with salt and allow to cook on low for at least 1 hour.
If sauce is too reduced during cooking period, add small amount of water and continue cooking.
Step
3
Of 3
Boil salted water in large pot, add pici and cook at least 4 minutes. Drain well, add to garlic sauce.
Allow flavors to blend well, put on individual serving plates.
Top with dusting of grated Pecorino cheese. Serve hot immediately.
Try it with...
Filippo Bartolotta
The "Storia di Famiglia"wine is a Chianti Classico, one of the most beloved wines produced by Cecchi and well known in Italy
View productThe "Storia di Famiglia"wine is a Chianti Classico, one of the most beloved wines produced by Cecchi and well known in Italy
View product