Recipe of the Week: Pici Pasta ‘Al Aglione’ With Fresh Pomodoro And Garlic Sauce
This delicious recipe was given to me by friends Cristina Blasi and Gabriella Mari, owners of Le Cordon Blue cooking school in Florence, Italy. We had a great time with them making pici pasta by hand and tossing them with this simple but delicious sauce. A must for anyone that wants to enjoy traditional Tuscan cuisine. Serves eight. (Chef tip: I like to use Roma tomatoes in my sauce because they are less watery than salad tomatoes.)
1/2 pound pici pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped, divided use
2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
In a 12-inch saute pan, heat oil. Add garlic, tomatoes and half of the basil and crushed red pepper. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Add tomato sauce. Season with salt and cook for 10 more minutes. Add the cooked pici pasta and cheese to the tomato sauce with some of the cooking water if needed. Toss to combine. Serve immediately topped with remaining basil.