If you are looking for Tuscan cuisine that is truly authentic, look no further than the pasta called PICI. Pici is the simplest of pastas, made from only two ingredients: 00 flour and water. That’s it, except for the patience of hand rolling the pasta. Pici is eggless pasta that is rolled into thick spaghetti and often served with porcini mushroom sauce or a meat sauce called ragu. Both are scrumptious.
PICI
Now, you can buy dry pici at many shops in town including the markets, cafes, enotecas, wine stores, souvenir shops, etc. Or in Cortona, you can buy all types of fresh pasta and sauces from Bottega della Pasta Fresca, the wonderful pasta shop that supplies many of the local restaurants.
But if you are lucky enough to be here with us, you can enjoy HOMEMADE PICI by Benita and Sarah! The girls announced they wanted to give Pici making a try. With flour and water in hand, they made the dough, let is set about 30 minutes, and began rolling the pici in our very tiny kitchen.
The chefs and their dough!
Rolling the pici
We had some left-over grilled chicken breasts, so they used those, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, a little celery and a dose of wine to make their ragu.
They cooked the very uneven pieces of pici, (true sign of homemade), for just a few minutes in salted water.
What can I say? It was DELICIOUS! Seriously, they did such a good job and cooked it perfectly. Unfortunately, my photo isn’t clear, but you get the idea. And the aroma was amazing. Some freshly grated pecorino, perfetto!
I’ll think I’ll hire them for a pici party when we get home!
Ciao,
Judy
Ciao Judy, how sweet of those two young women to share their fresh pici making with us, and the dough is perfect, and yes, it looks scrumptious, and I can smell it too!! Thank You!!
LikeLike
Agree, totally!
LikeLike
Looks yummy. My daughter Jenny makes homemade pasta (she is a better cook them her mama LOL). There are different recipes that she has tried, some with egg some without. The girls did a great job! Bellisima!
LikeLike
Truly bellisima!
LikeLike
bravo benita and sarah ! it looks delicioso…..i will look forward to your cooking for me when you get home !!
xoxo titi florencia 😉
LikeLike
Veramente!
xo
LikeLike
Impressive post! Book-marked!
LikeLike
Thanks!
LikeLike
Very well written story. It will be beneficial to anybody who usess it, as well as me. Keep doing what you are doing – i will definitely read more posts.
LikeLike
Great post, really enjoyed it!
— Tori
http://www.bigconceptdesigns.com
LikeLike
Thanks! Can’t seem to find pici in the US, so glad that handmade is easy!
LikeLike