Pici all’Aglione Traditional Recipe

Pici all’Aglione of the Valdichiana countryside is a traditional Tuscan dish with deep roots dating back to the Etruscan era. However, it is not simply a dish prepared with abundant garlic. Still, it requires the use of a specific type of garlic: Aglione della Valdichiana DOP (Protected Denominations of Origin), so in January 2017, the Association for the Protection of the Aglione DOP was born (Allium Ampeloprasum var. Holmense) of the Valdichiana by the will of 23 producers and nine municipalities.

The production area of Aglione della Valdichiana is identified with the Valdichiana and, more specifically, that of Siena with the municipalities of Montepulciano, Torrita di Siena, Sinalunga, Chiusi, San Casciano dei Bagni, Chianciano Terme, Sarteano and Cetona and for that of Arezzo with the municipalities of Foiano della Chiana, Cortona, Lucignano, Marciano della Chiana, Civitella in Valdichiana, Monte San Savino, Castiglion Fiorentino and Arezzo.

The harvest period of Aglione is April-May, while its conservation must occur in dark cells and with humidity of around 70%. Obviously, over time it tends to empty itself and lose its aroma.

But Massimo Rossi, an expert and historic restaurateur from Monte San Savino, comes to the rescue on how the Pici all’Aglione recipe is prepared. Massimo has a great passion for traditional cuisine, infinite knowledge of raw materials, and unquestionable mastery of the preparations. So if you happen to be in the Arezzo area, don’t miss the opportunity to taste his dishes and admire the incredible view of the breathtaking panorama of his restaurant “Belvedere”.

The Aglione from Chianciano, as Massimo tells us, has about 10% less allicin substance which makes it more digestible than the common variety. Its weight also exceeds 800 grams and has a higher aromatic content.

But let’s move on to Massimo’s recipe.

Ingredients for four people:

400 gr di fresh pici pasta (obviously, you can use the dried one, but it has a much longer cooking time)

200 gr di Aglione della Valdichiana garlic

800 gr di fresh tomato

Extra virgin olive (EVO) oil, about 4/5 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Vegetable broth

Aged Pecorino cheese (sheep cheese) to taste

Preparation:

Boil plenty of water for your pici pasta. Peel the garlic cloves and cut them into very thin slices. Arrange the extra virgin olive oil and the garlic cloves in a pan, and heat the whole. Before the garlic starts to brown, add a little vegetable broth and cook it for a few minutes. If the slices are very thin, you will obtain a creamy sauce.

Meanwhile, wash and cut the tomato into small pieces, add them to the sauce and cook for 5/10 minutes. Tomato puree cooking is very personal, depending on your taste. I love to feel its freshness, so I cook it just for 5 minutes, but others prefer tomato puree, and, in this case, I advise you to peel it and pass it with special tools and cook for about 10/15 minutes. Once the sauce is ready, boil your pici in salted water, usually for 5-6 minutes for the fresh ones and about 20 for the dried version. Once ready, drain them, arrange them on the hot plate, pour over the generous quantity of the sauce, and add grated aged pecorino and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Your Pici dish is ready to be enjoyed. If you have a way to find them, the Aglione garlic flowers are perfect for grating instead of pecorino.

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