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5 from 10 votes

Hand Rolled Pici Pasta (great beginner shape!)

A simple hand rolled pasta shape with a delightful chewy texture. Pici is a rustic pasta shape that is very easy to make at home.
Prep Time2 hours
Author: Emilie Pullar

Ingredients

  • 400 g ’00’ flour plain flour is fine
  • 185 ml warm water
  • 15 ml olive oil a standard tablespoon
  • Coarse semolina to dust the pici

Instructions

  • Please look at the step-by-step photos above! Feel free to bring the dough together in a food processor!
  • Weigh your flour then tip it out onto your bench. Make a well in the middle, I use the bottom of a bowl to do this.
  • Pour in the warm water and olive oil. Whisk the water with a fork, slowly and carefully incorporating the flour from the outside into the middle until it forms a thick paste.
  • When the middle mixture becomes too thick to whisk I like to use a bench scraper to cut the remaining flour into the liquid, you can do this with your hands too. You basically want to end up with a very evenly incorporated shaggy mixture. 
  • Bring it together into a ball and knead vigorously for 4 - 5 minutes until you get a dimpled ball of dough.
  • Wrap tightly and rest for 10 mins. Continue kneading for a few minutes, you should end up with a very smooth ball of dough.
  • Wrap again and rest for an hour or up to three at room temp.
  • Using a quarter of the dough at a time, roll out with a rolling pin until 3mm thick.
  • Cut into 1.5cm strips.
  • On a wooden board roll the strips out into long strands, starting in the middle and working your way out.
  • Place the finished strands onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and liberally dusted with coarse semolina to stop them sticking.

Video

Notes

  • Once you have dusted the strands you can wrap them up in nests and then cover the tray with some clingfilm or a tea towel.
  • They are best cooked within an hour but you can freeze them in nests, uncovered on a tray. Once frozen transfer to a snaplock bag or container and cook from frozen.