10/18/2026
If you can roll a rope with Play-Doh, you can make homemade pici pasta! Just fine semolina flour and water! No eggs, no pasta machine, and no need for perfectly shaped noodles.
We’re serving ours with a rich guanciale pomodoro, a dollop of creamy ricotta, and fresh basil.
Pasta
300g Fine Semolina Flour
160g Warm water
Semolina for dusting
Sauce
4 oz Guanciale Diced
4 Garlic cloves Sliced
1½ Tbsp Tomato Paste
½ cup Dry White W**e
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
1 can (28 oz) San Marzano tomatoes, Hand-Crushed
Fresh Basil Leaves
Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
Finishing
Ricotta cheese
Grated Pecorino Romano
Olive oil
Instructions
1. Dough: Mound semolina on a surface, form a well, and pour in warm water. Mix into a shaggy dough. Knead 8–10 mins until smooth and firm. Wrap and rest for 30 mins.
2. Shape: Flatten dough to ½” thick and slice into thin strips. Roll each strip from the center out into long, ⅛”-thick strands. Dust with semolina to prevent sticking.
3. Guanciale: Crisp guanciale in a pan over medium-low heat. Set aside ⅓ for garnish, leaving ~2 tbsp rendered fat in the pan.
4. Sauce: Sauté sliced garlic and red pepper flakes in the fat for 1–2 mins. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 min. Deglaze with w**e and reduce. Add crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper if needed, and simmer 20 mins. Stir in fresh basil.
5. Cook & Serve: Boil pici in salted water for ~2½–4 mins until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Toss pasta in sauce with Pecorino and pasta water until glossy. Top with ricotta, crispy guanciale, basil, and olive oil.