Pici with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Pici is hand-rolled spaghetti with a wonderful texture. You can create the noodles as thick or thin as you like, as long as you make them all the same size and length. Aside from a rolling pin, no special equipment is needed.
This is an eggless pasta dough, making it soft and easy to work with. Like the other hand-rolled doughs we’ve made – cavatelli, fusilli, and orecchiette, pici are fun and easy for the whole family to get involved in.
I prefer a light sauce with handmade pastas. This pesto is simple, with a jar of sun-dried tomatoes as the base or lightly dressed with marinara.
Tips:
I love basil in this sauce, but you can use any green like arugula.
This sauce is wonderful with risotto too.
If you can’t find semolina flour, you can use all-purpose or OO flour that is used for pasta and sold in most grocery stores.
With fresh pasta, the measurements are just a guide. The humidity in your home will affect how much flour and water you will ultimately need. It will likely not be the same amount each time you make it.
If you are working on a wooden surface, try putting some olive oil on the surface to aid in rolling the pici—just a drop.
Pici with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Makes 1 ½ lbs.
PREP 30 minutes
COOK 4 minutes
INGREDIENTS
PASTA
1 ¼ cups semolina flour
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup hot water
SAUCE
1 (8.5-ounce) jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the pasta: In a large bowl combine the two flours. Add the olive oil and some of the hot water and mix with your hands until a rough dough forms. Dump the dough onto a clean surface, wood works best, and begin to knead the dough, adding more hot water as needed. Work the dough for 5-8 minutes until it is neither crumbly nor sticky.
Form the dough into a smooth ball cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it is roughly 1/8” thick. Keep lifting and rotating the dough to ensure it is not sticking to the surface. Add more flour as needed. If you can keep the dough in a rectangular shape you will have an easier time getting even strands of pasta.
Use a sharp knife to make thin slices of pasta. Take each strand and roll the pasta into an even worm using your palms and fingers, stretching the pasta out as you roll. It should be thinner than a pencil, but not so thin that it is fragile. Remember it will swell when boiled.
Place formed pici on a floured surface to keep the pasta from sticking together.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Make the sauce: In a blender combine the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, and basil until the sun-dried tomatoes are finely chopped. Add the sauce to your serving bowl and stir in the parmesan.
Add the cooked pici to the serving bowl and toss it with the sauce, adding enough cooking water to loosen the sauce to your liking. Season with salt and pepper.