Pici all'Aglione — Thick Rolled Pasta, Sweet Slow-Cooked Garlic, No Shortcuts

Combine the flour and a generous pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and 15 ml olive oil, then mix with a fork until it shaggy. Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead firmly for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, dense, and not sticky. It should feel noticeably firmer than egg pasta dough.

Shape the dough into a ball, cover with an inverted bowl or wrap in cling film, and rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Divide the rested dough into 8 pieces. Working one piece at a time, tear off a small knob (about 20–25 g), press it flat, then roll it back and forth on the board using the flat of your palm, applying light downward pressure and working outward from the center. Aim for ropes about 3–4 mm in diameter and 20–25 cm long. Irregular thickness is normal. Lay finished pici on a lightly floured tray; do not stack.

Peel the aglione cloves and slice them lengthwise about 2–3 mm thick — do not mince or crush. Pour the 70 ml olive oil into a wide sauté pan over the lowest heat possible. Add the garlic slices and the dried peperoncino. Cook 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is completely soft, translucent, and lightly golden. It must not brown or sizzle sharply.

Add the passata directly to the pan with the oil and garlic. Season with salt, stir, and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 12–15 minutes until the sauce is glossy but still fluid. Remove the peperoncino if you prefer less heat, or leave it in. Taste for seasoning.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add enough coarse salt that the water tastes clearly of the sea — roughly 10 g per litre.

Drop the pici into the boiling water and cook 6–10 minutes, depending on how thick your ropes turned out. Start tasting at 6 minutes. Pici should be tender throughout with no raw-flour taste, and slightly chewy but not stiff.

Scoop out a ladleful of pasta water before draining. Drain the pici and transfer them directly into the sauce pan over medium heat. Toss vigorously for 1–2 minutes, adding a splash of pasta water if the sauce looks too tight. The sauce should coat each noodle and pool slightly on the plate.

Divide between four warmed bowls and serve immediately. Add a drizzle of raw olive oil over each bowl if you like. No cheese is needed.