Music to your Appetite: Homemade Chitarra Pasta

Pasta is so versatile- different shapes conjure different names,  regions throughout Italy have variations on names for the same type of pasta,  there's a different name if the pasta was hand cut or machine cut, if it's a certain length or width.   In the Abbruzzo region of Italy, there is also a traditional pasta that is named after the instrument that is used to cut it.  The instrument is a harp-like instrument respelendent of a flattened guitar.  Hence, the name Chitarra.  And the notable, delicious pasta from this region that is slightly cut with a rectangular shape to it, Spaghetti alla Chitarra.

With Chitarra pasta you have to knead the dough and stretch it out with a rolling pin. Then the stretched dough is placed on top of the Chitarra, where the strands of spaghetti are naturally cut when the rolling pin presses over the dough and allows the dough to cut through the Chitarra strings.

 

Chitarra pasta typically enjoys more egg yolks in the dough than other pasta recipes.  This pasta keeps flavors of sauces very well.   Thus,  any sauce ranging from a simple passata with olive oil to a pesto pasta would be delicious.   I personally think a cream based pasta would be too heavy for Spaghetti alla Chitarra (and personally for any spaghetti).    I created a gorgeous basil-arugula pesto with ground broccoli florets to adorn this pasta.  Garlic, lemon juice, some parmesan, are a must, and a lovely  nut (pine nuts being traditional, roasted hazelnuts being my favorite) would accentuate a lovely sauce on this fabulous pasta from Abbruzzo where my dad's family hails.   Buon Appetito!