The pici with giant garlic is a typical dish of Tuscan cuisine. They are easy to prepare, require very few ingredients, and are exceptionally delicious. Today, for lunch, I cooked them following the instructions given to me by a lady from the province of Siena. I don’t know if they turned out exactly like theirs, but what I know is they were divine. Which is already a great result, don’t you think? In short… a marvel of simplicity and taste that speaks of hills, peasant cooking, and pure flavors.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for Pici with Giant Garlic
If you can’t find pici, you can substitute them with bigoli or thick spaghetti.
- 12 oz pici
- 12 oz cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves giant garlic (or 3 if you like)
- A few leaves basil
- chili pepper (quantity to taste)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Pot
Preparation of Pici with Giant Garlic
ATTENTION: giant garlic (native to the Chiana Valley) is not like common garlic! They are two very different things. It is very large, easily digestible, and has a delicate taste, so much so that it is also called “kiss garlic.” This is because it does not contain allicin, the substance responsible for the strong and pungent flavor characteristic of classic garlic.
Wash the cherry tomatoes, pat them dry with kitchen paper, and cut them into pieces, removing most of the seeds.
Peel the giant garlic cloves and chop them finely (I used a mezzaluna knife).
Then sauté the mince over low heat in plenty of extra virgin olive oil, trying not to let it burn because it would become bitter. When the giant garlic is slightly golden, add some chili pepper (quantity to taste according to personal preference).
Add the cherry tomatoes to the sauté and cook for 10/15 minutes over low heat until the sauce becomes a bit dense. Salt to taste and add some basil leaves torn by hand. Let everything flavor for a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat.
Meanwhile, cook the pici in plenty of salted boiling water. Once in the water, do not stir them for the first 7/8 minutes to avoid breaking them. The total cooking time is around 15/20 minutes, but check the package instructions.
Once cooked, drain them and toss them in the sauce, gently mixing to combine all the ingredients.
Distribute the pici with giant garlic in individual plates, decorate them with fresh basil leaves, and serve immediately, hot. Enjoy! Paola
