What is the difference between spaghetti and spaghetti alla chitarra?

The main difference is the shape. Regular spaghetti is round, but spaghetti alla chitarra has a square cross-section. This square shape holds sauce better and gives a different texture when you bite into it. With their square edges, the noodles have more surface area for the sauce to cling to.

What are spaghetti alla chitarra?

Spaghetti alla chitarra are traditional Italian pasta noodles from the Abruzzo region. They're made by pressing pasta dough through a tool called a chitarra (which looks like a guitar) to create square-shaped strands instead of round ones.

What does alla chitarra mean?

"Alla chitarra" literally means "guitar style" in Italian. It refers to the special tool used to cut this pasta, which has parallel steel wires that look like guitar strings.

What is a chitarra made of?

A traditional chitarra is made of wood with steel wires stretched across it, just like a guitar. The spacing between the wires determines the thickness of your spaghetti alla chitarra .

What does the word chitarra mean in Italian?

"Chitarra" is simply the Italian word for "guitar." The pasta-making tool got this name because it looks so much like the musical instrument.

Does spaghetti alla chitarra have meat?

No, spaghetti alla chitarra pasta itself doesn't contain meat - it's made with flour, eggs, and oil. However, it's traditionally served with meat sauces, especially lamb ragu in its home region of Abruzzo.

Authentic Spaghetti Alla Chitarra: 7 Secrets From Abruzzo

Name: Authentic Spaghetti Alla Chitarra: 7 Secrets From Abruzzo's Kitchen
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 49 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 400g semolina flour – This is the biggie. Not all-purpose flour, not bread flour. Semolina. It’s coarser and gives spaghetti alla chitarra its signature texture.; 4 large eggs – Room temperature works best. Cold eggs don’t mix as well with the flour.; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for best flavor, don’t use a cheap one)

Description

Spaghetti Alla Chitarra is a traditional pasta from Italy’s Abruzzo region, made using a guitar-like tool called chitarra. This authentic recipe creates sturdy, flavorful pasta perfect for holding robust sauces.

Ingredients

400g semolina flour – This is the biggie. Not all-purpose flour, not bread flour. Semolina. It’s coarser and gives spaghetti alla chitarra its signature texture.

4 large eggs – Room temperature works best. Cold eggs don’t mix as well with the flour.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for best flavor, don’t use a cheap one)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt (this helps bring out the flavor of the pasta).

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Instructions

For spaghetti alla chitarra dough

Step1:Pour the semolina flour onto your counter, forming a pile. Push it around with your hands to make a well in the middle – like a volcano crater. Make the walls pretty high so your eggs won’t escape.

Step2:Crack all 4 eggs right into that flour crater. Add the olive oil and salt directly on top of the eggs. Don’t worry if it looks messy – that’s normal.

Step3:Grab a fork and start beating the eggs gently, right there in the flour well. As you beat, you’ll start pulling little bits of flour from the walls into the egg mixture. Keep doing this slowly.

Step4:Keep mixing for about 3-4 minutes until you have this shaggy, rough-looking dough. It’s not going to look pretty yet. Some flour might be dry still – that’s okay.

Step5:Start bringing it together with your hands. Scrape up any flour that isn’t mixed in and work it into the dough. You want all the flour incorporated, even if it feels a bit rough.

Kneading, Resting, and Cutting Your Perfect Square Pasta

Step1:Begin kneading the dough by using the heel of your hand to push it away, then fold it back onto itself. Turn it a quarter turn and repeat. You’ll do this for about 8-10 minutes.

Step2:Keep kneading until smooth – At first it’ll feel rough, but gradually it becomes smooth and elastic. You’ll know it’s ready when you poke it with your finger and it springs back.

Step3:Wrap the dough tight in plastic wrap. This is super important – no air should get to it. Let it rest on your counter for at least 30 minutes. I usually go for 45 minutes because it makes rolling easier.

Step4:Roll the dough thin – Unwrap your dough and cut it into 4 pieces (easier to work with). Roll each piece with a rolling pin until it’s about as thick as a nickel – roughly 2mm thin.

Step5:Cut with your chitarra – Place the rolled dough on your chitarra tool and gently press it through the wires with your rolling pin. If you don’t have a chitarra, cut thin strips with a sharp knife, making them as square as possible.

Step6:Dust everything with semolina – As you cut each strand, toss it with a little semolina flour so they don’t stick together.

Step7:Let them dry slightly – Spread your spaghetti alla chitarra on a clean kitchen towel for about 10 minutes before cooking.

Notes

Semolina flour is essential for proper texture
Dough must rest minimum 30 minutes
Can be frozen for up to 3 months
Works with any sauce, especially meat-based ragùs

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Category: Mediterranean Dinner Recipes
Method: Hand-rolled
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup (100g)
Calories: 350 kcal
Sugar: 2g
Sodium: 200mg
Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 70g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 12g
Cholesterol: 95mg