Known for her expertise in Italian cuisine, Meryl Feinstein suggests the perfect pasta for beginners: Pici. Pici, a handmade pasta from Siena, is thick and reminds one of a hearty udon noodle. It's a straightforward recipe only needing a few basic ingredients - flour, water, and olive oil. There's no necessity for any special kitchen equipment with this dish, adding to its appeal for the novice.

Feinstein employs a handy pasta-making tip. She advises coating the dough in olive oil before rolling it out to prevent it from drying out too fast. She warns, "The more time you take to roll out the pieces, the more the surface will dry out and start to crack." She reassures beginners not to rush the process as olive oil helps keep the dough smooth and silky.

As you allow your pasta dough to rest for the necessary hour, you can prepare the sauce. It's a rich combination of canned tomatoes, two heads of garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. After roasting, you'll add butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and fresh basil for an unbelievably tasteful tomato sauce. Once your pici is ready, you will combine the two for a delightful Italian dish.

Pici has its roots in Tuscany, specifically around Siena, and its name derives from the Italian verb 'appiciare', which translates to roll or stretch dough by hand. Pici, made from just flour, water, and olive oil, fits perfectly into la cucina povera, the Italian tradition of straightforward, resourceful cooking using inexpensive pantry staples.

Though homemade pici is tender compared to dried pasta, it's essential to maintain the integrity of the noodles. Scoop them from the water with tongs to keep them intact.

Feinstein's recipe uses simple and accessible ingredients at home. Her process involves roasting a mixture of canned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in an oven until softened into a succulent sauce. The dough, once made, rests, then it's rolled out, cut into strips and transformed into the pici pasta we know and love.

Once prepared, the pasta is boiled, then introduced to the tomato sauce, and cooked till everything combines flawlessly. The dish is seasoned with cheese, basil and additional oil, then served.

In conclusion, Feinstein’s pasta recipe is the perfect doorway to the world of homemade pasta. Pici’s robust flavor, combined with the jammy tomato garlic sauce, creates a hearty, delicious dish sure to become a regular on your dinner table.