Pici all'aglione

The recipe for Pici all'aglione traditional and original from Tuscany, especially from the Val di Chiana area. In fact, the legendary aglione is grown in these areas, which is not a giant garlic as its shape suggests, but has a totally different flavor and much more delicate and sweetish. It is generally said that the real aglione must have six cloves to be considered original, and think that each clove can weigh up to 70 grams! Obviously pici are also traditional of Tuscan cuisine but also Umbrian, and are made of flour and water only, without eggs. Very similar to this fresh pasta without eggs, but 00 flour is used instead of semolina. The aglione sauce is really easy to prepare and also fast, just follow a few small precautions and you will get pici all'aglione to perfection, like in a real Tuscan tavern!

Ingredients

500 g pici

6 garlic wedges

 extra virgin olive oil to taste

700 g peeled tomatoes 

30 ml white wine

salt to taste

Steps

To prepare the PICI ALL'AGLIONE first peel the wedges and once cleaned, blend them in a mixer with a drop of extra virgin olive oil. Alternatively, you can crush them with a garlic press or slice them very finely. In the latter case, however, you will have to lengthen the cooking time because the aglione will have to melt and form a cream. Be careful, the aglione must not fry or darken during cooking! Once you have a homogeneous cream, transfer it to a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cook gently over low heat for 10 minutes. Taking care to stir often! Deglaze with a little white wine and let it evaporate. (Like all traditional recipes, everyone has their own version.. there are those who don't put it and those who use a single tablespoon of white wine vinegar). Blend the peeled tomatoes and pour them into the aglione cream. Add salt and as soon as the sauce comes to a boil, cover with a lid, lower the heat to low and cook slowly for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally and if it dries too much, dilute with a little more hot water. (Even for the tomato, everyone has their own version, some use fresh, boiled copper tomatoes and deprived of seeds and skin. Others half puree and half peeled tomatoes). Cook the pici in plenty of salted water, taking into account the cooking minutes indicated on the package, because it changes a lot if you use fresh or dried pici. Another trick for a special aglione is in the water! Many argue that a clean garlic wedge should also be put in water and boiled with it to make the flavor and aroma even more intense. But even this, is not an essential step! Drain the pici al dente and add them to the sauce with 2 ladles of cooking water and stir well. Serve the pici all'aglione hot.