Typical dish of Siena
Pici with toasted breadcrumbs
A simple yet aromatic dish where pici – thick hand-rolled spaghetti – mingle with golden breadcrumbs toasted in a pan with garlic and extra virgin olive oil. The result is rustic and fragrant: the soft, rough-textured pasta embraces the crunch of the toasted crumbs. The flavor is simple but intense, with notes of wheat, olive oil, and garlic that tell the story of traditional farmhouse cooking. In Siena it is most often enjoyed as a homemade first course, warm and comforting.
Season: Tutto l'anno€8–14
Why it matters
Pici alle briciole represent the most humble and authentic soul of Sienese cuisine. Born from the art of wasting nothing, they transform stale bread into a flavorful seasoning. For this reason, the dish has become a symbol of the region’s rural culture and of its culinary tradition—simple yet ingenious.
Origin story
The dish originated in the countryside around Siena, where pici – handmade pasta made with water and flour – were dressed with simple ingredients available at home. Stale bread crumbs, toasted in oil with garlic, replaced cheese when it was too expensive. Over time the recipe has remained almost unchanged and today it is one of the most emblematic preparations of the local traditional cuisine.
Typical ingredients
picipane raffermoaglioolio extravergine d'olivapeperoncino
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Where to eat Pici with toasted breadcrumbs in Siena
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