Tuscan Pici all'Aglione | Mama Florence Cooking School

What Is Pici all'Aglione?

Pici all'Aglione is a traditional Tuscan pasta dish made with thick, hand-rolled, egg-free pici and a tomato sauce flavored with Aglione. The garlic is closely associated with the Valdichiana and is prized for a softer, sweeter character than ordinary garlic. The result is a simple sauce that settles around every chewy strand rather than overpowering it.

A Classic Tuscan Pasta Dish

Pici all’Aglione is a traditional Tuscan pasta made with thick, hand-rolled pici and a simple tomato sauce flavored with Aglione, the large, mild elephant garlic associated with the Valdichiana.

At Mama Florence Cooking School, the pleasure is in the texture as much as the sauce. The pici are made with flour, semola, and water, then rolled one strand at a time by hand. No eggs, no pasta machine, and no reason for perfection.

Aglione brings a gentler, sweeter garlic character than ordinary garlic, giving the tomato sauce depth without turning it sharp. Spoon that sauce over the chewy pici and the dish stays rustic, simple, and unmistakably Tuscan.

How to Make Pici Pasta

Pici Dough Ingredients:

• 200 g all-purpose flour • 200 g semola flour • 200 g water

Mama's Secret: Pici should look handmade. The strands do not need to be identical; that slight unevenness is part of their character. If the dough feels too soft while you work, add a little more semola.

1. Prepare the Pici Dough

• In a medium bowl, combine the semola and all-purpose flour.
• Add enough water to form a relatively stiff dough, mixing until thoroughly combined. If the dough feels too soft, add a little more semola.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

2. Roll the Pici by Hand

• Once rested, cut off small pieces of dough at a time.
• Flatten each piece slightly, then roll it with your hands on a wooden board or clean work surface to form a long strand.
• Place the finished pici on trays dusted well with semola and set aside.

Shop Mama's Pantry

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: olive oil is one of those ingredients that is never far from reach in a Tuscan kitchen. For a sauce built around tomato and Aglione, a good olive oil gives those few ingredients room to show themselves.

How to Make Aglione Sauce

Aglione Sauce Ingredients - 4 Servings:

• 4 cloves Aglione (1 clove per person) •  400g tinned tomato pulp •  extra-virgin olive oil, as needed • freshly grated Parmesan cheese, as needed • salt and pepper to taste

1. Aglione Sauce Method

• Finely mince the Aglione.
• Heat a sauté pan with a small amount of olive oil.
• Add the minced Aglione and cook until lightly golden.
• Add the tomato pulp and salt to taste.
• Cook over low heat for at least 1 hour. If the sauce reduces too far, add a small amount of water and continue cooking.

How to Cook and Serve Pici all'Aglione

       1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the fresh pici and cook for at least 4-5 minutes.

       2. Drain well, add the Aglione sauce, and toss so the pasta and sauce come together.

       3. Plate the pici and finish with grated Pecorino or Parmigiano, if desired. Serve hot.

The Perfect Bite

Fresh pici should have that unmistakable handmade chew: substantial, but still tender once cooked. The tomato clings to the thick strands while the Aglione brings sweetness and warmth rather than a sharp garlic bite. A little Pecorino or Parmigiano at the end is enough; this is a pasta that does not need much dressing up.

More Ways to Make Pici

Once you have rolled fresh pici by hand, the sauce can take the dish in completely different directions. Explore Mama Florence's Pici Pasta Sauces for garlic and tomato or Cacio e Pepe, or return to our Fresh Pici Pasta recipe if you want to focus entirely on the dough and hand-rolling technique.

Learn How to Make Fresh Pasta with Mama Florence

Want to learn how pici and other traditional Italian pastas are shaped by hand? Join a Pasta Making Cooking Class in Florence at Mama Florence Cooking School, where flour, water, a pair of hands, and a little practice become the kind of pasta you will want to make again at home.

Pici all'Aglione FAQ

Q: What is Pici all'Aglione? A: Pici all'Aglione is a traditional Tuscan pasta dish made with thick, hand-rolled pici and a tomato sauce flavored with Aglione, the large, mild garlic associated with the Valdichiana.

Q: What is pici pasta made of? A: Mama Florence's pici recipe uses 200 g all-purpose flour, 200 g semola flour, and 200 g water. It is an egg-free dough that is rested, then rolled into long strands by hand.

Q: How long should pici dough rest? A: Rest the dough for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, before shaping the strands.

Q: How long does fresh pici cook? A: Cook fresh pici in salted boiling water for at least 4-5 minutes before draining and adding the sauce.

Q: What is Aglione? A: Aglione is an unusually large garlic associated with Tuscany's Valdichiana. Despite its size, it is known for a gentler, sweeter, less aggressive flavor than ordinary garlic.

Q: Where can I find more pici recipes? A: Explore Mama Florence's Pici Pasta Sauces for different ways to dress the pasta, or the Fresh Pici Pasta recipe for the dough and hand-rolling method.

Disclaimer

Please note that our chefs may adapt recipes according to seasonal ingredient availability and participants' dietary or allergy requirements. As a result, the ingredients, preparation, or presentation shown in this recipe may vary from what you prepared during your Mama Florence class. In some cases, elements of a dish may also appear as separate recipes. Please reach out to our team if any confusion arises. Thank you - the Mama Florence Family.