Pici with Guanciale and Tomato Butter
A very quick and easy sauce that consists of a lot of butter, tomato paste/puree and sweet, roasted garlic The sauce is smooth, luscious and buttery, as you probably expected. Sweet undertones of roasted garlic (garlic girlies, I see you!), sharpness from the tomato, and a pinch of salt - blended with (say it with me) butter until smooth. I’m a simpleton, so sue me. The flavours are bright, they’re giving what they came to give. And when you melt a dollop of it into a big, steaming mound of freshly rolled pici and crispy guanciale? Well, you’ll just have to make this and figure out the answer for yourself.
Pici with Guanciale and Tomato Butter
Serves 4
Ingredients
Pici dough
400g durum wheat semolina flour
190ml warm water
10ml extra virgin olive oil
Fine semolina for dusting
Tomato butter sauce
1 head of garlic
1x 250g block of unsalted butter, room temperature
140g tomato puree
200g guanciale, diced
Parmigiano Reggiano, to serve
Method
Pici dough
On a work surface, add the semolina flour and create a well in the centre. Slowly drizzle in the warm water and oil and whisk until you have a custard-like consistency.
Switch to a bench scraper and start to flip the flour from the outer edge over and onto the water mix, using a cutting motion to then mix it in. Continue to do this around all sides until you have a crumbly, sand-like mix.
Start bringing the crumbly dough together with your hands, squeezing and coaxing it in a ball of dough that’s knead-able - scraping up and incorporating as much loose flour from your work surface as possible.
Once you have this shape, begin kneading the dough vigorously for a good 10 minutes until the dough is springy and elastic, and not sticking to your hands at all.
Cover and rest for 60 minutes.
Pici method
Divide the dough into four pieces. Work with one at a time while keeping the other pieces covered so they don't dry out. Using a rolling pin, flatten the piece until it's about 1-2cm thick. Brush each side with olive oil, then cut into strips around 1cm in width.
Using the palms of your hands roll each strip out into a long, round noodle. Start with your hands in the centre then work them outward, stretching the dough into a thick noodle (or spaghettoni). Keep going until your noodle is about 1/2 cm thick. Pici is a rustic shape, and irregularities are the beauty of hand rolled pasta!
Dust the rolled pici in fine semolina, and set aside on a baking sheet lined with a clean tea towel while you continue with the rest of the dough.
Tomato butter
Preheat your oven to 180c (350f, or 160c fan-forced).
Cut the top of the head of garlic off and place on a piece of aluminium foil. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt, then wrap the alo foil around the garlic to cover.
Place on a baking tray and roast for 40 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
In a food processor, add the butter, tomato puree, cooled-garlic (squeeze the cloves out with your hands), and 1/2 tsp salt.
Blend until smooth and homogenous.
Finishing touches
Add the diced guanciale to a cold, dry pan and place on a low heat. At the same time, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil for the pici.
Allow the guanciale to gently sizzle away and crisp up - its fat will render and melt. It’s up to you if you’d like to discard some of its fat from the pan at this point.
Once the water is boiling, salt generously. Drop the pici into the water and allow them to cook for around 4-5 minutes - but check them as you go. If using semolina flour bear in mind their texture will be denser and chewier.
Use tongs to pick the pici directly from the pot and drop them in the pan with the guanciale, taking with them some of the pasta water. Turn the heat off, and add a heaped tablespoon or so of the butter mixture per person.
Stir and toss to combine until the butter has melted and turned into a luscious sauce.
Serve with a smattering of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and enjoy.
