Umbricelli
Umbricelli are a type of pasta also known as pici.
Umbricelli are a type of handmade pasta, similar to spaghetti but wider, typical of southern Tuscany – where they are called pici – and of certain neighbouring areas of Umbria and Lazio, particularly Orvieto and the entire Paglia river valley, where they go by different names such as umbrichelli or tortorelli.
The traditional recipe calls for only water, flour and salt, with no eggs, although modern variations do include eggs.
The pasta is prepared by ‘appiciando’, that is, by pulling out each strand by hand.
Classic sauces include aglione sauce, rabbit’s liver sauce, game sauce, ‘alle briciole’, ‘cacio e pepe’ with Tuscan pecorino, and Chianti-style ragù.
There are local variations: in Montalcino they are called ‘pinci’ and made with coarse flour; in Anghiari they are known as ‘bringoli’; and in the Upper Valdarno they are called ‘lunghetti’, made with eggs and rolled out differently.
