The Tuscan Pici with Aglione is one of the most famous traditional recipes from my region, particularly from the provinces of Florence, Arezzo, and Siena. If you’ve been on vacation in Tuscany, you’ve surely seen this first course on restaurant menus! Making the sauce isn’t difficult, but you obviously need aglione, also known as “kiss-proof garlic!” I’ll explain why below! So, let’s put on our aprons and give it a try!
If you’re interested in other Tuscan-inspired recipes, I recommend starting with these links:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Economical
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 5
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
- Energy 273.86 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 45.68 (g) of which sugars 0.82 (g)
- Proteins 8.60 (g)
- Fat 7.65 (g) of which saturated 1.11 (g)of which unsaturated 0.65 (g)
- Fibers 4.10 (g)
- Sodium 670.11 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
The main ingredient of this first course is Aglione, a very large garlic whose heads can weigh up to 800 g, with a characteristic delicate flavor that doesn’t leave unpleasant “consequences” in terms of digestibility or breath! It’s cultivated in the Val di Chiana and Val d’Orcia, where dishes with this curious garlic originate. In the second half of the 20th century, its cultivation risked disappearing or being confined to family gardens. Fortunately, in recent years, some small producers have started to produce and distribute it in Italy, and today it’s not difficult to find it in Tuscany, but also online.
- 1.1 lbs pici
- 7 oz aglione (net weight)
- 24.7 oz tomato pulp
- 1.4 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 3.5 tbsp water
- 3.5 tbsp parsley
- 1.4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Tools
- 1 Garlic Press
- 1 Wok
- 1 Pot
- 1 Colander
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
How to prepare Tuscan Pici with Aglione?
To make Tuscan Pici with Aglione, the first step is to prepare the sauce. The most important thing for the success of the dish is to carefully treat the aglione to make it soft and delicate… but it’s not difficult! Just follow the steps!
Clean and trim the aglione by removing the skins and keeping only the bulbs. On a cutting board, dice the aglione bulbs into small pieces with a sharp knife.
Pass all the pieces of aglione through a garlic press to make this vegetable as tender as possible.
Collect the aglione pulp in a wok before starting to make the actual sauce.
Add the oil and turn the heat on low. The aglione should not brown but only slightly golden.
Add the water almost immediately, cover with a lid, and cook for about 15 minutes
Check if there are larger pieces; in this case, mash them with a fork to make the aglione homogeneous.
Still on low heat, add the parsley and shortly after the tomato pulp.
Add the salt and continue cooking.
Finish with the pepper and cover. Let it cook for another 10/15 minutes.
The sauce will be ready when it reaches this consistency, once the watery part has evaporated and it has thickened. Turn off the heat and set it aside while you cook the pici.
Take a package of pici, a typical Tuscan pasta, essentially very large and rough spaghetti, and turn on the heat under the pot.
After the water has boiled, add the coarse salt and lay the “nests” of pici for the cooking time indicated on the package, which is usually never less than 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Once ready, drain the pici, keeping a small amount of cooking water. Turn the heat back on under the sauce and add the cooked pici. Sauté to combine pasta and sauce, blending with a bit of cooking water. Tuscan Pici with Aglione are ready to impress you and your guests!
Tuscan Pici with Aglione is a hearty first course that, in my opinion, doesn’t require a second course in the same meal. To appreciate the flavor in its complexity, it would be best not to sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese, but that doesn’t mean you can’t.
The sauce can be stored in the fridge once cooked, sealed in a glass jar for a couple of days. If you enjoyed this recipe, come tell me on Instagram and let me know if you’ve ever had it before! I look forward to hearing from you!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
If I don’t have pici, what pasta shape should I use?
Since pici are very large and rough artisanal spaghetti, if it’s not possible to use them or find them, the best choice is a pasta that is as similar as possible and on which the sauce can cling well; therefore, go ahead with artisanal spaghettoni, bigoli, and pappardelle. Preferably, long and thick pasta. Nothing stops you from using short pasta, but don’t tell the Tuscans!
Can I use regular garlic?
Absolutely not. Despite being very similar (except in size), they have very different tastes and properties. 200 g of garlic would result in severe consequences for breath and digestibility, unlike Aglione.
