Grains & Rice

Pici

Hand-rolled thick Tuscan spaghetti with a rustic chew, tossed in garlic or ragù.

Pici are thick, hand-rolled noodles from southern Tuscany, like an oversized, irregular spaghetti made from just flour and water. Their chunky, chewy texture pairs with garlicky sauces (cacio e pepe, aglione) and meat ragùs. Each strand is rolled by hand, giving them a satisfyingly uneven, rustic shape.

Pici is a hand-rolled fresh pasta from Siena and the Crete Senesi area of Tuscany, made from simple flour and water (or occasionally eggs) into thick, rope-like strands approximately 3–5 mm in diameter — roughly the width of a thin cocktail sausage. Among the oldest pasta forms in Tuscany, pici predates industrial dried pasta by centuries, rooted in the difficult agricultural conditions of the clay-rich Crete Senesi landscape south of Siena, where heavy soils made wheat cultivation labor-intensive and rustic, hand-formed pasta-making a practical necessity. The name derives almost certainly from the Sienese dialect term for rolling or twisting, and the hand-rolled method is essential: unlike extruded pasta, pici are formed entirely by hand, and the slight variations in thickness are a mark of authenticity, not poor technique — they create varying textures within a single strand, from a soft center to a toothsome exterior. The rough, uneven surface created by hand-rolling is not incidental; it is precisely what allows sauces to cling, making pici exceptional with simple garlic and oil dressings, rich meat ragù, and hearty vegetable preparations.

Measured in: g
Storage: Pantry

Allergens

Gluten

Types & varieties

Pici all'aglione

Tossed with a garlic and tomato sauce made with aglione, a large mild Tuscan garlic variety

Pici al ragù di chianina

Classic Sienese preparation with ragù made from Chianina beef, the famous Tuscan breed

Pici al nero di seppia

Colored variety made with cuttlefish ink; a coastal Maremma variation

Pici al cinghiale

Served with wild boar ragù, especially in inland Tuscan trattorie

Pici con i funghi

With wild mushrooms; porcini in season, dried porcini in winter

Hand-Rolling Technique

The defining characteristic of pici is the hand-rolling method. The dough is rolled into pencil-thick logs, then each strand is rolled gently under your palms from the center outward, gradually thinning it to the desired diameter. The goal is not uniformity — slight variations in thickness are the mark of authentic, hand-made pici. Roll each strand only once; going back over it creates flat, deformed strands that cook unevenly. If the dough springs back while rolling, cover it and let it rest 20–30 minutes before continuing — gluten that has tightened needs time to relax.

Work on a wooden board for best grip and control
Dust your palms lightly with flour to prevent sticking
Roll away from your body, applying even pressure from center to ends
Accept irregular thickness — this is correct technique, not a mistake
Rest the dough if it resists rolling; cold, tight dough will never thin cleanly

Storing and Freezing

Fresh pici is best eaten within 1–2 days, lightly dusted with semolina flour and wrapped in a clean cloth or stored in a loosely sealed container in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze immediately: spread the finished strands on a floured baking tray in a single layer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a sealed bag. Frozen pici will keep up to one month. Cook directly from frozen — do not thaw before adding to boiling water, or the strands will stick and break.

Always dust generously with semolina flour before storing
Freeze in a single layer on a tray before bagging to prevent clumping
Cook from frozen — thawing causes strands to stick and tear
Refrigerated pici longer than 2 days will begin to dry and lose elasticity

Common uses

Tossed with simple garlic and oil dressings that cling to the rough, uneven surfaceDressed with rich meat ragù (beef, wild boar, duck)Served with hearty vegetable sauces such as chickpeas or potatoesServed in broth as a rustic Tuscan first coursePaired with truffle shavings in autumn and winter menusAccompanied by wild mushroom sauces, especially porciniTossed with tomato-based sauces using San Marzano or aglioneServed with seafood in coastal areas, including the ink-blackened Maremmana variety

Tips & pitfalls

Do not overwork the dough — pici should be slightly irregular, and the roughness of the surface is what helps sauce cling
Roll strands gently and gradually from the center outward, never pulling and stretching
If the dough springs back while rolling, cover it and let it rest 20–30 minutes before continuing
The classic Sienese method uses only flour and water; eggs are a modern convenience, not traditional
Dust finished pici generously with semolina flour to prevent sticking before cooking
Cook in a wide, shallow pot with plenty of salted water, not a tall narrow one, to avoid tangling
Test for doneness by pressing a strand against the board — it should offer slight resistance without being chalky at the core
If the strands vary in thickness, cook the thickest ones first and remove thinner ones earlier

Nutrition

371kcal

Energy

1552 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 14%Carbs 82%Fat 4%

Protein

13g

26% DV

Carbs

74.7g

27% DV

Fat

1.5g

2% DV

Fiber

3.2g

11% DV

Sugars

2.7g

of which

Sodium

6mg

0% DV

Notable micronutrients

Selenium115% DV

Phosphorus15% DV

Magnesium13% DV

Zinc13% DV

Niacin (B3)11% DV

Thiamin (B1)8% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · approx. Pasta, dry, unenriched

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Good to know

Origin: Siena and the Crete Senesi area of Tuscany, Italy
Type: Fresh, hand-rolled pasta (pasta fresca)
Primary Flour: Duro (durum wheat) flour or 00 flour; sometimes part semolina
Eggs: Traditionally made with water only; some modern recipes add 1–2 eggs per 100 g flour
Diameter: Approximately 3–5 mm thick, roughly the width of a thin cocktail sausage
Cook Time: 4–8 minutes in well-salted boiling water, depending on thickness
Shelf Life: 1–2 days refrigerated, lightly dusted with flour and wrapped in cloth
Freezer Life: Up to 1 month frozen, spread on tray then bagged
Difficulty: Moderate — hand-rolling requires patience; the uneven thickness is intentional, not a flaw

Substitutes

Pici preconfezionati — Commercially fresh pici from Italian grocers; acceptable but lacks the hand-rolled texture and slight irregularity
Paccozzi or Toscanelli — Machine-made dried versions available from Italian brands; different texture but acceptable in emergencies
Linguine — Rough-textured, irregular-diameter linguine works as a substitute in a pinch
Thick spaghetti (diameter 2.5–3 mm) — Close in shape but smooth surface; sauce will not cling as effectively

Pairs with

Aglione (Tuscan garlic)Pecorino ToscanoChianina beefPorcini mushroomsSan Marzano tomatoesTruffle Extra-virgin olive oil

Also called

Pici Toscani