You can make this at home!

Each time Alessandro (pictured here with Rose Wolcott) prepared a meal for us in Montisi he made a classic Tuscan red sauce to eat with the traditional pici (peachy), a fat straight noodle. The red sauce, or alione (al-YO-nay), is unbelievably simple, as was the pici. Recipes follow.

Alione (big garlic sauce)
Garlic (one head for 2.5 lbs of tomatoes)
Stewed whole tomatoes
salt to taste
pinch of sugar

Smash LOTS of garlic. Alessandro did not peel the garlic, rather smashed it, then removed the skins. It was really a matter of picking the skins up off the counter.
Put the garlic in a deep pan after covering the bottom with olive oil. Cook it on a high heat, frying it but not letting it turn brown.

Add drained whole stewed tomatoes. No need to chop them up--just stick your hand in and mush them a bit. The cooking will do the rest.

Add salt to taste and a pinch of sugar. Cover and simmer 1/2 hr on med high. Leave the spoon in to allow moisture to escape.

It can cook longer if necessary to turn to the right consistency for sauce. Use leftovers to make soup!

Pici
Flour and egg--1 egg/450g flour (about 16 oz or 2 cups)
Flour used was a semolina flour--fine grade
Make a mountain of flour on the counter. Create a depression and add the egg, a big pinch of salt and 3T olive oil. Mix with a fork. Add water until the dough is not sticky . Knead until smooth and shiny. There must be no bubbles when cut. Add flour as necessary.

Cut in half and roll out 1/2" deep. Put olive oil on while dough sits to keep from drying out. Roll to 1/4". Cut off a piece and begin rolling and stretching (making a snake), adding flour to keep from sticking. Continue in this manner. Let sit until ready to cook.

Add pici to boiling water. Cook 5 minutes or until al dente. Serve with Alione.