Making Pici at Cretaiole

One of the highlights of any week spent at Agriturismo Cretaiole is the Pici class. Pici are strands of hand-rolled pasta, a sort of fat spaghetti, common in the part of Tuscany in and around the Val d’Orcia. At Cretaiole, be prepared to don an apron and participate! And bring an appetite for the big group dinner that takes place after the work of pici making is done.

Nicco teaching us how to make pici

Nicco Moricciani is the grandson of Luciano, Cretaiole’s founder, and the son of Carlo who tends the vines and olives. Nicco has recently taken over teaching the pici class from his mother Isabella. Isabella is quite proud of Nicco’s pici making skills and for good reason. Not only is Nicco an experienced pasta maker but he is also a fun and interactive teacher, sharing information and family stories throughout the class. Under Nicco’s guidance pici making is fun, rewarding, and occasionally hilarious. Let’s just say that there was a lot of laughter and good-natured teasing among the participants as we honed our skills (or lack thereof).

Class began with a demonstration of how to make the dough the way the family has done for generations.

Flour (type 00) is spread out on a big wooden board and then arranged volcano style in a circle with high sides to contain the wet ingredients. Some pici recipes add only water and a bit of extra virgin olive oil but at the Moricciani farm there are chickens and that means lots of fresh eggs. No surprise then that the Moricciani family recipe adds several eggs to the flour, water, and drizzle of oil. The wet ingredients are combined with a fork in the middle of the flour circle and then, little by little, the flour is coaxed from the sides of the ring into the egg mixture. It’s important not to break the flour ring lest the egg mixture leak out and dribble away. Nicco demonstrated this skill perfectly.

After the flour is incorporated, it is time for the guests to begin their work. Each gets their own wooden board and a portion of the dough to knead. When the dough is smooth and elastic it’s time for it to rest and for the guests to enjoy break time. A bit of Prosecco helped us get ready to the real fun - hand rolling the pici.

Rolling pici is an art and one that takes some practice. A bit of dough is rolled into a log and then the magic happens. One hand rolls the log while the other hand stretches the dough gently, eventually forming a long string of pasta. Not too fat and not too thin, all the pici should be about the same diameter. And with 20+ cooks each learning the process that was no easy feat!

The winner of the longest pici competition !

There was a friendly competition to see which guest could get the longest pici - and some gentle ribbing of those with the shortest pieces. All the laughter worked up an appetite!

Even those of us who managed fairly long and right-sized pici could not match the speed with which Nicco turned them out. We might have been there all night had not Cretaiole’s fabulous chief organizer, and really fast pici maker, Fernanda come along to help out. Our efforts were also bolstered by more wine and slices of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and generously topped with good Cretaiole Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It’s good to feed the pasta makers!

While we were making the pici the sun set, a fire was lit in the fire pit, more wine poured, and appetizers set out. Carlo also arrived to light the grill. He brought the farm’s meats to grill - sausage, pork ribs, and thick strips of pancetta. Can anything top the smell of a Tuscan barbecue on a mild fall evening? Carlo is the master of the grill!

Dinner started with our pici topped with Nicco’s ragu. We were pleased with our efforts as the pici was wonderful, though perhaps it was the delicious ragu that guaranteed great flavor. Cretaiole red wine was a perfect accompaniment. Later came salad and those tasty grilled meats. Just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite, Fernanda brought out her homemade tiramisu. It’s a good thing Italian dinners are spread out over several hours.

So many things came together to make this a memorable evening. The setting was spectacular. The group of guests were a huge part of the fun - all were friendly, interesting, and enthusiastic about their time at Cretaiole. We shared stories and began friendships, with hopes to meet again.

The Moriccianis - Nicco, Carlo, and Luciano (who to everyone’s delight joined us for the evening) - are warm, welcoming, and fun. Fernanda (below, right) makes everything work, including this big event, and makes it look easy even though it certainly is not.

It was a perfect Tuscan evening full of friends, fun, good food, wine, and laughter. Who could ask for anything more?

Agriturismo Cretaiole and Luciano's Farm

Some places, and some people, are special.  Agriturismo Cretaiole is one such place and Luciano Moricciani, its founder, is the special person who started it all.  Son Carlo and grandson Nicco, both of whom are pretty special too, have taken over much of the day-to-day operations at the Cretaiole with the help of the delightful Fernanda who is a whiz at organizing everything for guests. But it is Luciano, at 82 years of age, who remains the steady hand, keeper of history, and the warm heart behind the agriturismo and farm.  

Agriturismo Cretaiole - a classic Tuscan stone farmhouse with beautiful accommodations for up to 20 guests.

 I’ve written about Cretaiole before – after my first visit in 2016 and again in 2020. The 2020 visit took place during the pandemic when no other tourists were around. At that time, Carlo kindly allowed my friend and I to stay and participate in the olive harvest.  The quiet of that visit was quite a contrast to the laughter and activity during my first stay. For more info, the previous posts can be found here: www.twopartsitaly.com/2020/11/2/1erwrj2r1njhhb89nvw9j1b43wv5ic. www.twopartsitaly.com/2016/12/14/a-week-at-agriturismo-cretiaole

The living room / kitchen of the Il Granaio apartment at Cretaiole

This year the visitors have returned, many of whom waited nearly three years to reschedule pandemic cancelled trips.  They came for many reasons – the beauty of the Val d’Orcia, the excellent local wines, the peacefulness of Cretaiole’s setting. They also arrived to take part in the wonderful activities included in Cretaiole’s “Dolce Vita” package - pici making, truffle hunting, early morning hikes, group dinners, wine and olive oil tasting. And then there is “The Isabella Experience” which includes luxury linens and many special touches as well as the opportunity to visit all the small villages of the Val d’Orcia which are just a short drive from Cretaiole. 

And, as one guest told me, she came because she’d read about Luciano in several blog posts and had been waiting for 3 years to drink grappa with him! 

 One of the highlights of a Cretaiole stay is a chance to visit Luciano’s farm, Podere San Gregorio, just 10 minutes from Cretaiole.  During my October visit Luciano was recovering from a fall but he was still enthusiastic about walking the farm with us.  He is the person most involved with the animals including sheep, chickens, geese, guinea fowl, one goat, a friendly dog, and some very large pigs.  The sheep are pretty much pets but the pigs are the source of some of the farm’s specialties – prosciutto and salami – all prepared on-site. 

The farm tour includes a stop at the barn where some of the oldest farm tools can be seen and where fascinating tales of the old ways of picking olives and harvesting wheat are told by both Luciano and grandson Nicco.  It is easy to imagine the young Luciano scrambling up the trees on the rather rickety ladder that still hangs in the barn, basket at his waist, collecting olives and trying not to fall out of the tree (a common hazard in those days).

Luciano and me at Podere San Gregorio. I will present this photo on my return to claim a bottle of his Vin Santo.

Next stop: the building where the preparation of meats, sauces, and Vin Santo takes place.  A promise was made that anyone who returns to the farm and presents a photo of themselves with Luciano, hands on the Vin Santo casks, takes home a free bottle.  You can bet I have that photo saved, more because I hope to have another visit with Luciano then for the free bottle. Although that Vin Santo is really tasty!

 Behind the work room is the small room where the white grapes for vin santo are dried. The grapes were still quite moist in mid-October, having only been harvested two weeks before.  They tasted sweet and the aroma was wonderful.

 Besides the barn, garden, work rooms, and animals there is also the large space where the wine is made and the olive oil stored.  Next door is an aging room for pecorino cheese, prosciutto, and salami. The grape harvest had taken place a week or two before, the grapes pressed and the wine placed into the large vats to begin fermenting.  Huge piles of dried grape skins remained, waiting to be sent off to grappa makers.  The olive harvest will take place in late October / early November, so soon the olive oil tanks will be filled with the new 2022 oil.  I would like to go back even if just to buy some of the new oil.

 After the farm tour we all gathered around tables for a straight-from-the-farm lunch.  Slices of bread with Cretaiole olive oil (it is really, really good), local pecorino aged on the farm, platters of prosciutto and salami, caprese salad, and Cretaiole red wine (also quite good).  We finished with some of Luciano’s very special Vin Santo and cantucci for dipping. There may even have been a bit of grappa poured.

It was wonderful to have Luciano with us on the farm tour and again at Cretaiole’s group pici dinner.   He clearly enjoys sharing his stories and his farm with visitors.  He also enjoys talking with visitors and hearing the stories they tell (he speaks Italian and is also great at using google translate to speak with English speaking visitors).  He has a lifetime of experience as an authentic Tuscan contadino (farmer) but, even better, he shares the joy of his land, his family, his farm, and his heart.  Luciano is one very special part of the Cretaiole experience. 

Ti voglio bene Luciano!

San Quirico d'Orcia

The small villages in the Val d’Orcia have much in common.  They sit on hilltops and look out over rolling hills, olive groves, vineyards, and cypress trees. They are often fortified by city walls, the legacy of ancient conflicts. The street plans are mostly Medieval, often with a single main street and a large main piazza ringed with stone and brick buildings. They are filled with churches large and small.

Classic Val d’Orcia scenes, in the village of San Quirico

And the history!  From Etruscan tombs to Roman roads, from Medieval streetscapes to World War II bombs, the history of these villages is rich and fascinating.  That they have so much in common, and yet each village has its own unique character, makes a trip through this area especially wonderful. Think of Monticchiello with its Teatro Povero and stone houses, Montalcino with its famed Brunello wine and steep streets, Bagno Vignoni with its thermal pools, and Pienza - the perfect Renaissance city - with its pretty houses and flowers filled window boxes.

 San Quirico d’Orcia is yet another of the villages found in the Val d’Orcia. Named after a martyred child saint, it lies between Montalcino and Pienza, situated along the ancient Via Francigena, the pilgrim’s route between Canterbury and Rome.  Today, modern pilgrims and adventurous walkers still pass through San Quirico as they follow the ancient path. Other tourists arrive more conventionally by car and stay to enjoy the many things that make this a most pleasant spot.

The ancient wall around San Quirico

Most of the wall surrounding the city remains, with 2 gates providing entrance to the historic center of town and several of the former watchtowers still standing (though now repurposed, some into tall and narrow homes).  The Porta Cappuccini is the old and most historic gate – a lovely way to enter the town.

 The best way to explore San Quirico is to simply wander.  A stroll along the main street, Via Dante Alighieri, takes you both along the route of the Via Francigena and past most of the main sights in town. At one end, just inside the city walls, is the Collegiata Church (12th century) with its interesting shape, three very different entrances, and beautiful bell tower.  

The Collegiata Church (also known as the church of Santi Quirico e Giulitta)

Further down the street is the church of San Francesco, with its famous terracotta della Robbia madonna (moved here from the Chapel of the Vitaleta) and its combination bell and clock tower. In front of the church is the Piazza della Liberta`. This lively square is the center of town and a hub of activity.  It’s a great place to stop for a coffee or a glass of wine and to soak in the atmosphere. 

Piazza della Liberta` and the Church of San Francesco

In this square is also the entry to one of San Quirico’s special spaces – the Horti Leonini, a 16th century garden.  The centerpiece is a statue of Cosimo III di Medici. All around him is classic Italian garden design. 

Stepping back into the Piazza della Liberta`, and continuing down Via Dante Aligheri, are two of my favorite spots.  One, is a hidden courtyard which contains an old well and the pilgrim’s refuge the Ospedale della Scala.  The other, right on the street, is the small church of Santa Maria Assunta, which is over 1000 years old (but no interior photos allowed!)

The old well in front of the Ospedale della Scala

 It’s also fun to wander the small side streets.  On my most recent visit, during the height of the olive harvest, I found an active but very old frantoio (olive press) which was still using old stones to grind the olives.  The friendly staff invited me inside to watch the process.  The smell of the fresh olive oil was delicious!

And on a side street just along the church of San Francesco is the wonderful Trattoria al Vecchio Forno, built on the site of the old town bakery (forno).  I’ve eaten here on previous visits and it’s a place that never fails to please.  My lunch, a honey drizzled sformatino and a pappa al pomodoro, eaten outside in the garden on a warm fall day, was delicious.

 Heading back to Pienza, the Chapel of the Madonna of Vitaleta is visible from the road.  It is well worth the detour to stop and visit this tiny chapel, which is one of the most photographed spots in Tuscany.   The chapel itself is not usually open, but the surrounding vistas are spectacular.  

 San Quirico was the last stop on my trip through the Val d’Orcia.  There are so many other places left to explore, among them the famous wine towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano (which is just outside the Val d’Orcia) and also the gardens at La Foce.  

I guess I’d better start planning a return trip!

Bagno Vignoni

Looking back over the past several posts, it is easy to understand why the entire Val d’Orcia is a UNESCO world heritage site. It would be impossible to pick just one town, one church, one monument with places like the Abbazia Sant’Antimo and Monticchiello in the running. To add one more reason why this valley is so special, add to the list the tiny hamlet of Bagno Vignoni.

In Italian bagno means bath, and here in Bagno Vignoni the baths are the hot spring fed pools for which this small hilltop village is famous. While there are certainly more modern spas located here today, the uniqueness of the town lies in its historic pools - sulfurous and hot, they’ve been used since Roman times. Pilgrims, popes, future saints, artists, and a host of important persons from centuries past have come to soak in the warm waters. Even before the medieval baths were built, the Etruscans came to the natural hot springs in this area.

Another view of the Baths of St. Catherine

At first glance, it would be easy to believe the village hasn’t changed for centuries. The main piazza in Bagno Vignoni is ancient and unlike any other I’ve seen in Italy. No central square with historic statue or fountain here. Instead, the central Piazza delle Sorgenti is a large, rectangular pool, fed by the hot springs just below. It dates back to the 1500’s and has changed little since that time. The pool is surrounded on 3 sides by a wall and, just beyond that, beautiful stone buildings. There are homes, shops, and a church standing just outside the wall of the baths.

An doorway in central Bagno Vignoni

On the fourth side of the large pool is the Loggia of Saint Catherine of Siena. Imagine her sitting there (well before she achieved sainthood) to admire the view of the pools. History says she did just that.

The Loggia of Saint Catherine (on the right)

On closer inspection, there are definitely signs of a more modern life here. Shops and cafes surround the main pool and branch out into the pretty side streets. A bit further on are hotels advertising spa services.

Not far from the central pool there is a series of small channels where the water flows to the cliffs that overlook the valley. Once upon a time these channels fed mills which were important to the economy of the town.

One of the abandoned buildings in the Parco dei Mulini

Today the Parco dei Mulini (Park of the Mills) is a place to dip your hands into the warm water and also to enjoy the expansive views. Looking down, the water runs over the cliff and way down below is a large pool for bathing.

A large pool lies at the foot of the cliffs of the Parco dei Mulini

Looking up, towards Castiglione d’ Orcia, is a huge ancient fortress, the Rocca a Tentennano (sometimes called the Rocca d’Orcia).

Rocca a Tentennano, a short drive from Bagno Vignoni

Bagno Vignoni is a marvel - and one more reason to spend some time exploring the Val d’Orcia.