The art of Pici: Tuscany’s handmade pasta tradition
No pasta machine, no rolling pin—just your hands! Join me this Sunday to learn how to make pici and discover 3 authentic sauces to dress them: aglione, cacio e pepe, and crispy breadcrumbs
Here we go again, time to cook together this Sunday!
Join me online this Sunday, November 17th, at 9:00 PM CEST | 3:00 PM EDT | 12:00 PM PDT for a special cook-along reserved for all paid subscribers dedicated to another favorite pasta shape, one that doesn’t require a pasta machine, not a rolling pin. This time, we’ll dive into the craft of making pici, the thick, homemade, hand-pulled, and hand-rolled spaghetti from Tuscany, one of the most appreciated dishes we make during our cooking classes.
A recording of the class will be available for all paid subscribers after the event, and it will be easier to attend the Cook Along even though you live Down Under. (Here you can see the recording of our previous Cook Along when we made fresh egg pasta). The recorded videos will always be available here on Substack: we’re slowly building an archive of video recipes you can access whenever you need to refresh your technique to make orecchiette, or ricotta gnocchi.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS IF YOU WILL BE THERE, SO I’LL BE WAITING FOR YOU!
(For paid subscribers: all the recipes, ingredient lists, the Cook-Along Working Sheet, and the link to join the session are available behind the paywall.)
Join us this December for a celebration of stories, flavors, and Italian traditions
When you join a cook-along—whether to cook side by side or simply watch and chat—you’re doing so much more than participating in a class. You’re supporting the work I do as a food writer. Every time you show up, you cast a vote of confidence in the value of this project.
If you’ve been enjoying Letters from Tuscany, our cook-alongs are one of the most intimate ways we can connect. It’s more than just an online cooking class. It’s a chance to slow down, share stories, laugh over flour-dusted hands, and savor the joy of creating something beautiful together.
By subscribing, you’re not just gaining access to recipes or cook-alongs—you’re saying, I believe in this, and I want to be part of it. Your support allows me to continue crafting these moments of connection, creating a bridge between your home and the heart of Italy.
This year, to thank you for your continuous support, we’re doubling the joy with two online cook-alongs in December!
December 8th: This session will be free for all our subscribers, a gift from me to you as we come together to make two beloved Sienese Christmas treats. Expect an hour filled with festive aromas, laughter, and the joy of preparing homemade edible gifts to share with your loved ones.
December 15th: This session is an exclusive treat for our paid subscribers. I’ll guide you through another delightful Italian Christmas recipe, perfect for the holiday season. It will be our exclusive online Christmas party!
Keep an eye on your inbox for more details about these cook-alongs, including the recipes we’ll be making together. I can’t wait to spend these festive moments with you and share the warmth and flavors of Italy during this magical season.
Join us, not just for the recipes but for the joy of connecting, learning, and celebrating the traditions that make Italian cooking so special.
Mark your calendar for the next events!
Sunday, December 8th, at 9.00 pm CET - 3.00 pm EST - 12.00 pm PST
Sunday, December 15th, at 9.00 pm CET - 3.00 pm EST - 12.00 pm PST
ALL ABOUT PICI
Flour and water. The basic recipe to make pici is SO simple.
They are thick, homemade, hand-pulled, and hand-rolled spaghetti from a specific area of Tuscany, mainly from Val d’Orcia and Val di Chiana.
When, years ago, I asked my grandma if she knew how to make pici, she replied: no, they are not typical. And mind you, I live in Val d’Elsa, about one hour drive from the pici homeland. That’s how local, and specific, often Italian food is. You drive for an hour and you pass from the bare, beautiful landscape of Valdorcia to the farmed land of Val d’Elsa, from a bowl of pici all’aglione to rustic ricotta and spinach tortelli.
Not only the ingredient list is short and essential, but also the tools required to make them.
Forget the pasta machine. You’ll need a rolling pin for a couple of minutes, and then you’ll do everything by hand. It will remind you of playing with Play-Doh: so if you have kids, grandkids, nephews, or neighbors’ kids in the surrounding, ask them to join you in the pici-making fun.
We’re going to dress them with an aglione sauce - a garlicky tomato sauce, and I’ll tell you more about aglione, the garlic of kiss, during our cook along - but I’ll be sharing also two more ways to dress them: cacio e pepe, and with briciole, fried breadcrumbs.
What you will find behind the paywall:
The link to join me on Zoom on Sunday
The recipe to make pici dough and how to roll it into thick, homemade spaghetti
Three typical dressing recipes for pici: aglione sauce, cacio e pepe, fried breadcrumbs (two are vegan!)
