Pici (Handmade Tuscan Pasta)
By Andrea GearyPublished on April 3, 2023
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We developed this recipe with Bob's Red Mill No. 1 Durum Wheat Semolina Flour. If using finer semolina, such as Caputo Semola, add 1½ tablespoons more water. We strongly recommend weighing the semolina and all-purpose flours. Save semolina that's left over from dusting the pasta for later use. A clean work surface provides friction for rolling the strands. If your work surface becomes covered with semolina or oil, wipe it before proceeding; if the pasta still slides, moisten your hands. Pair pici with your favorite sauce or see our recipes.
Instructions
- Whisk all-purpose flour and 1 cup semolina flour together in medium bowl and make well in center. Add water and 2 tablespoons oil and stir with fork until shaggy dough forms. Transfer dough to counter and knead until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes (dough will be firm). Wrap in damp dish towel and let rest on counter for 30 minutes, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Sprinkle parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet with ¼ cup semolina flour. Repeat with second baking sheet. Place remaining ½ cup semolina flour in wide, shallow bowl. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Shape portions into balls. Place 3 balls under damp dish towel. Pat remaining ball into 3-inch disk and brush both sides with oil. Pat and stretch into 6-inch square of even thickness. Cut dough into 12 strips. Separate strips and place under damp dish towel.
- Starting at center of 1 strip, roll dough into strand about ⅛ inch wide and at least 24 inches long (consistent width is more important than consistent length; if strand breaks, pinch pieces back together). Transfer to bowl of semolina and toss to coat. Gather strand loosely in your hand over bowl and shake gently to remove excess semolina. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, bending strand to fit. Dust your hands over sheet to remove excess semolina. Repeat with remaining strips. Repeat with remaining dough portions and oil, placing half of pici on each baking sheet. Pici may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 1 day.
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Lift pici and gently shake over baking sheet to remove excess semolina. Add all pici and 1 tablespoon salt to water and boil until pasta is tender but still springy, about 3 minutes (start timer when water returns to boil). Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Serve.
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Making pici, long hearty strands of hand-rolled pasta, is rewarding and produces a quality of pasta that's unlike anything dried. Combining nearly equal parts all-purpose and semolina flours with just enough water and a bit of olive oil made for a firm, silky, beautifully extensible dough. Kneading the mass strengthened its gluten, the network of proteins that give the noodles their chew; after a 30-minute rest, we cut it into small pieces and rolled each into a long, thin rope, coating each strand in a dusting of semolina to prevent it from sticking to the others. A brief boil in heavily salted water produced a satisfying, resilient texture while also seasoning the pici, making them suitable for any number of sauces.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
We developed this recipe with Bob's Red Mill No. 1 Durum Wheat Semolina Flour. If using finer semolina, such as Caputo Semola, add 1½ tablespoons more water. We strongly recommend weighing the semolina and all-purpose flours. Save semolina that's left over from dusting the pasta for later use. A clean work surface provides friction for rolling the strands. If your work surface becomes covered with semolina or oil, wipe it before proceeding; if the pasta still slides, moisten your hands. Pair pici with your favorite sauce or see our recipes.
Instructions
- Whisk all-purpose flour and 1 cup semolina flour together in medium bowl and make well in center. Add water and 2 tablespoons oil and stir with fork until shaggy dough forms. Transfer dough to counter and knead until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes (dough will be firm). Wrap in damp dish towel and let rest on counter for 30 minutes, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Sprinkle parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet with ¼ cup semolina flour. Repeat with second baking sheet. Place remaining ½ cup semolina flour in wide, shallow bowl. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Shape portions into balls. Place 3 balls under damp dish towel. Pat remaining ball into 3-inch disk and brush both sides with oil. Pat and stretch into 6-inch square of even thickness. Cut dough into 12 strips. Separate strips and place under damp dish towel.
- Starting at center of 1 strip, roll dough into strand about ⅛ inch wide and at least 24 inches long (consistent width is more important than consistent length; if strand breaks, pinch pieces back together). Transfer to bowl of semolina and toss to coat. Gather strand loosely in your hand over bowl and shake gently to remove excess semolina. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, bending strand to fit. Dust your hands over sheet to remove excess semolina. Repeat with remaining strips. Repeat with remaining dough portions and oil, placing half of pici on each baking sheet. Pici may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 1 day.
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Lift pici and gently shake over baking sheet to remove excess semolina. Add all pici and 1 tablespoon salt to water and boil until pasta is tender but still springy, about 3 minutes (start timer when water returns to boil). Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Serve.
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