In iso life a sourdough revolution started among other things. Many people avoided leaving their homes and started a corona cooking frenzy. Many reunited a time-honored domestic tradition of making bread at home. Sourdough groups popped up online and in many communities, collaborating on how to get the best crust and crumb.

I too gave birth to a sourdough ‘starter’ I call my ‘bread baby’ and joined my local sourdough community group. A ‘starter’ is like a baby, you feed the baby, it grows, but if you don’t use the baby regularly it takes over its home and there is an excess of starter you don’t know what to do with. If you skip a couple of days of making bread then you have to discard some of your ‘baby’. I hate to waste anything especially something I nursed to good health. So on the days, I do not make bread, I make crackers, rolls, and even chocolate cake. Here is one of my favorite discard recipes.

Guide

Rustic hand-rolled pici pasta sits somewhere between spaghetti and gnocchi, it has body and soaks up sauce like a sponge. It’s perfect on a cold day with a glass of red wine. Comfort food at its finest. If you do not have a bread baby replace the starter in the below recipe with 1/2 cup of water for 4 people or 1/4 cup of water for 2 people. Many recipes for pici only use water and flour. The eggs make the pasta luxurious and velvety and who would say no to that, unless you are allergic to eggs of course!

Ingredients

For 2 people

1 egg
1 yolk
1 and 1/2 cups of flour
1 /2 cup of starter
A little water and salt to taste

For 4 people

2 eggs
2 yolks
3 cups of flour
1 cup of starter
A little water and salt to taste

Preparation

ADD all ingredients except water in a large bowl. Mix with a fork until pliable then bring the dough together with your hands.

ADD small amounts of water until it comes together. The dough should be firm and not too sticky.

REMOVE from bowl and put on a well-floured surface and knead till smooth. Don’t over knead. Place in a floured bowl with a tea towel top. Leave in a warm place for 8 hrs. (If you don’t use a sourdough starter then leave in a warm place for 30 minutes).

After 8 hrs (or 30 minutes) cut the dough into smaller pieces of approx a ping pong ball size. There are two ways to roll the pasta.

1.. Back and forward on a clean non-floured board rolling back a forward.

2. Rub between palms, keep rubbing until pasta is approx 5 ml in diameter.

You can either cut the pasta short if you don’t twirl your pasta or leave it long like spaghetti.

To cook place pici pasta in rapidly boiling salted water. When pasta rises to top it’s ready. Don’t overcook or you will have mush!

Pair with a robust sauce, top with your favorite pecorino and chili flakes if desired, then devour.

Words By

Anita La Forgia

Life learner, multipotentialite, lifestyle elevator and creator

A treechanger who cooks to elevate life. Anita is passionate foodie using local, quality and seasonal ingredients. Living in the Macedon Ranges in Victoria she frequents the local farmers markets each week, with her beloved luggy. Her grandparents instilled the life skills of sustainable living, before sustainable living was a buzz word. She grew up in a restaurant and completing her International degree at César Ritz colleges in Switzerland, the heart land of hospitality, food and service.

Feature image: @notjustanita

Sourdough Pici Pasta ~ Meal