Pici

The Pici are a poor dish, pride of Valdichiana gastronomy, very similar to spaghetti, but more irregular and coarse. The peculiarity is that the recipe does not include egg: only flour, water and salt.

There is no limit in the choice of condiments for this type of pasta (very popular pici with cheese and  pepper or with bread crumbs). Two sauce in particular enhance pici: aglione’s sauce and Chianina’s ragù. Other typical condiments of the area are the sauce of “nana” (duck) or of “ocio” (goose).

Particularly noteworthy are pici produced in Celle sul Rigo (fraction of San Casciano dei Bagni), awarded in 2013 by the Italian Touring Club, confirming the quality and “authenticity” of the pici produced in this corner of Valdchiana. A well-known and appreciated festival dedicated to this extraordinary product is held every year in the month of may at Celle sul Rigo: it is “Sagra dei Pici”.

On May 15th, 2018 "Pici and the art of appiciare" were admitted by Decree of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies to the Italian National Inventory of Agri-Food Heritage.