Pici with Crumbled Bread
Category: First Courses
Serves: 4
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Durum wheat flour | 170g |
| All-purpose flour | 350g |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 20g |
| Water | 300g |
| Fine salt | 1 pinch |
| Homemade bread (or rustic bread) | 200g |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 80g |
| Fresh chili pepper | 2 |
| Garlic | 3 cloves |
| Fine salt | 1 pinch |
Instructions
To begin making Pici with Crumbled Bread, first, prepare the fresh pasta dough. On a clean work surface, combine the all-purpose flour and durum wheat flour, setting aside 20g of the durum flour to dust the surface later. Add a pinch of fine salt into the flour mixture.
Form a well in the center and gradually add the extra virgin olive oil. Slowly incorporate the warm water, adding it little by little, as you start kneading the dough by hand. Continue to work the dough until it becomes a smooth, elastic ball.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest. When ready to shape the pasta, take a portion of the dough and keep the rest wrapped to prevent it from drying out. Dust your work surface with the reserved durum wheat flour.
Take a piece of dough and roll it into long, thin strands, the length of spaghetti. Set the rolled-out pici aside to dry on a rack or a floured surface, ensuring the strands don’t stick together.
While the pasta is drying, prepare the bread crumbs. Use day-old, unsalted rustic bread (Tuscany-style bread is ideal if available). Cut the bread into small pieces, including the crust, for better texture.
Finely chop the fresh chili peppers. For a milder heat, remove the seeds before chopping. In a large pan, heat the 80g of extra virgin olive oil over low heat and add the chopped garlic and chili. Allow it to sauté gently to infuse the oil with flavors, then remove the garlic. Add a pinch of fine salt.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pici until al dente. Save a bit of the pasta cooking water for later use.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, then add it directly into the pan with the crumbled bread mixture. Stir well, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water to help combine everything. Continue to sauté until the pici are well coated with the bread crumbs and infused with the chili and garlic flavors.
Serve the pici on individual plates, garnished with additional crumbled bread on top for added texture and flavor. Enjoy your delicious, rustic Pici with Crumbled Bread!
This dish combines the simplicity and richness of Tuscan ingredients, with the homemade pici pasta soaking up the flavorful, crispy bread crumbs, creating a perfectly balanced and satisfying meal. It’s a perfect example of how humble ingredients can come together to create something truly delicious.
