Bigoli vs Pici
Bigoli is thick rough round strand, pressed through a bigolaro. Pici is fat irregular hand-rolled strand.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmBigoli: 250 to 300 mm by 2.5 to 3.5 mm
Pici: 200 to 350 mm by 3 to 5 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Long strands | Long strands |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Veneto | Tuscany |
| Section | Thick rough round strand, pressed through a bigolaro | Fat irregular hand-rolled strand |
| Length | 250 to 300 mm | 200 to 350 mm |
| Width or diameter | 2.5 to 3.5 mm | 3 to 5 mm |
| Surface | Rough | Rough |
| Hollow | No | No |
| Dough | Semolina, or egg when fresh | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 8 to 12 min | 4 to 8 min |
| Energy, dry, per 100 g | 288 kcal (fresh pasta) | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) |
| Protein, dry, per 100 g | 11.3 g | 13.0 g |
| Pairs with | Meat ragu, Aglio e olio, Sausage ragu | Wild boar ragu, Pomodoro, Aglio e olio, Meat ragu |
Bigoli
Rough, thick, and heavy, bigoli takes sauces that a smooth spaghetti cannot: onion and anchovy, duck or rabbit ragu, sardines. The rough face holds the sauce and the mass stands up to it.
Pici
Thick, rough, and chewy, pici needs a sauce with force: garlic and tomato, breadcrumbs fried in oil, a game ragu. A delicate sauce disappears against the mass of the pasta.
Can you swap them?
Pici for bigoli: yes, the Tuscan hand-rolled thick strand.
Bigoli for pici: yes, another thick rough strand.
Both take Meat ragu, Aglio e olio.
Only bigoli: Sausage ragu.
Only pici: Wild boar ragu, Pomodoro.
Sources
- Dimensions, surface, dough, and cook time: each shape page names the brand page, spec sheet, or measured box behind every figure.
- Energy and protein: USDA FoodData Central, per 100 g of the dough, public domain.