Pici

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large wooden board or clean work surface
• •Bench scraper or sharp knife
• •Plastic wrap for resting dough
• •Sheet pan lined with parchment
• •Semolina flour for dusting

Instructions

1. 1

   Form the dough

   Mound the flour on a large wooden board or clean work surface. Create a well in the center, wide enough to hold the water without breaching the walls. Dissolve the salt in the warm water, then add the olive oil. Pour this mixture into the well. Using a fork, begin incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well, working in circles. When the mixture becomes too thick to stir, abandon the fork and use your hands.

   The water should be warm, not hot. Hot water activates the gluten too quickly and creates a tough, unworkable dough. You should be able to hold your finger in it comfortably.
2. 2

   Knead until smooth

   Gather the shaggy mass and begin kneading. Push the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, fold it back, rotate a quarter turn, and repeat. The dough will feel rough and resistant at first. Continue for 10 to 12 minutes. When finished, the dough should be smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Press your finger into it; the indentation should spring back slowly.

   If the dough is too dry and crumbly, wet your hands and continue kneading. If too sticky, dust with flour sparingly. Flour is easier to add than water.
3. 3

   Rest the dough

   Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours. This rest allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to roll. When you unwrap it, the dough should feel softer and more pliable than when you wrapped it.

4. 4

   Prepare your workspace

   Clear a large surface. You need room to work and room for the finished strands. Lightly flour a wooden board or countertop. Have a sheet pan lined with parchment and dusted with semolina ready to receive the pici. Do not skip the semolina; it prevents sticking.

5. 5

   Cut the dough

   Unwrap the dough and cut it into four equal pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the others covered. Flatten the piece into a rough rectangle about half an inch thick. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut the rectangle into strips about half an inch wide. Each strip will become one picio.

6. 6

   Roll each strand

   Take one strip and place it on the unfloured part of your board. Using both palms, roll the strip back and forth while applying gentle outward pressure. Your hands should move from the center toward the ends with each stroke, stretching the dough as you roll. The strand should lengthen and thin with each pass. Continue until the picio is about 12 inches long and the thickness of a pencil, roughly a quarter inch in diameter.

   Work on a surface with slight grip, not a heavily floured one. The friction helps the dough roll. If it slides instead of rolls, your surface is too slippery.
7. 7

   Achieve proper thickness

   The finished pici should be thick, chewy ropes. Thinner than your finger, thicker than spaghetti. Some irregularity is correct and desirable. If the strand breaks while rolling, you are working too aggressively or the dough needed more rest. Pinch the break together and continue, or start with a new strip. Transfer each finished picio to the prepared sheet pan, nestling them in loose coils and dusting with more semolina if needed.

8. 8

   Continue until done

   Repeat with all remaining strips. This takes time. Thirty to forty-five minutes for a full batch. You will develop a rhythm. The motion becomes automatic. This is the meditative nature of handmade pasta. When all pici are rolled, they can rest at room temperature for up to an hour before cooking, or longer if refrigerated.

9. 9

   Cook the pici

   Bring abundant salted water to a vigorous boil. Add the pici gently, stirring immediately to prevent sticking. Fresh pici cook in 3 to 4 minutes. They should be tender but chewy, with pleasant resistance when bitten. The thick shape means they need slightly longer than thin fresh pasta. Taste one to be certain. Drain, reserving pasta water, and sauce immediately. Pici wait for no one.

Chef Tips

• •Traditional pici contain only flour and water. The olive oil I include makes the dough more forgiving for beginners, adding pliability. Purists may omit it.
• •Pici are classically served with aglione, a Tuscan garlic and tomato sauce where the garlic melts into the sauce entirely. Also excellent with cacio e pepe, ragù, or simply butter and sage. The thick shape demands bold sauces.
• •The rolling motion is specific: palms flat, fingers together, hands moving outward from center as they roll back and forth. Watch a Tuscan grandmother if you have the opportunity. The motion is in the wrists.
• •Dried pici are sold commercially but miss the point entirely. This is fresh pasta meant to be made and eaten the same day. The texture of fresh pici, slightly rough and chewy, cannot be replicated by drying.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made, wrapped, and refrigerated up to 24 hours before rolling. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding.
• •Rolled pici can be refrigerated on a semolina-dusted pan, covered, for up to 4 hours. They will stick if left longer.
• •For longer storage, freeze pici on the sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Cook directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the cooking time. They keep for 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 160g)