Pici all'Aglione

Name: Pici all'Aglione
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Toscana
Ingredients: 400 g tipo 0 flour; 200 ml lukewarm water; 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 5 g Fine sea salt; 80 g aglione garlic; 60 ml Dry white wine; 500 g canned whole peeled plum tomatoes; 1 piece dried red chilli

Thick hand-rolled Tuscan pasta strands tossed in a slowly stewed tomato sauce flavoured with sweet, mild aglione garlic.

🇮🇹Italy· Tuscany

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 75 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 485 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

400 g tipo 0 flour — or strong plain white flour
200 ml lukewarm water — adjust slightly as needed for dough consistency
60 ml Extra virgin olive oil — divided between dough and sauce
5 g Fine sea salt — plus extra for the pasta water
80 g aglione garlic — peeled and finely crushed or sliced
60 ml Dry white wine — such as Tuscan Trebbiano
500 g canned whole peeled plum tomatoes — crushed thoroughly by hand
1 piece dried red chilli — peperoncino, crumbled

Equipment

•Wooden pasta board
•Large pasta pot
•Wide frying pan
•Wooden spoon
•Tongs

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 485 kcal
fat: 12 g
carbs: 82 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 12 g
calories: 485 kcal

Instructions

1
Combine the flour, warm water, a splash of olive oil, and fine salt in a bowl.
2
Knead the dough on a work surface for ten minutes until smooth and supple.
3
Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and rest for thirty minutes.
4
Cut small dough strips and roll each firmly against the board into thick, round cords.
5
Heat the remaining olive oil, aglione garlic, and white wine in a wide pan over low heat.
6
Cook gently for fifteen minutes, mashing the garlic with a spoon until completely soft without browning.
7
Add the crushed tomatoes and crumbled chilli to the pan, seasoning lightly with salt.
8
Simmer the sauce gently for twenty minutes until rich, fragrant, and slightly reduced.
9
Cook the pici in plenty of salted boiling water for three to five minutes until al dente.
10
Lift the pasta directly into the sauce using tongs.
11
Toss everything over medium heat for one minute until the pasta is thoroughly coated.

Chef's tips

Never let the aglione brown; it should dissolve gently in the warm wine and oil emulsion to keep its sweet aroma. If rolling individual pici takes time, keep unused dough covered so it does not dry out.

Ingredient substitutions

aglione garlic → mild standard garlic blanched in simmering water for three minutes before cooking
tipo 0 flour → unbleached all-purpose flour mixed with 10% fine semolina

Storage

Store leftover sauce and cooked pasta separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a wide pan over medium-low heat with a splash of water until hot throughout.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Frying the garlic at high heat, which turns it bitter instead of mellow and sweet.
•Rolling the pasta strands too thin, losing the signature chewy, rustic texture.
•Draining the pasta until completely dry rather than transferring it wet into the sauce.