MAKING PASTA ALLA CHITARRA

The Art of Pasta alla Chitarra in Abruzzo

Created by pressing sheets of fresh pasta through the taut strings of an ingenious tool named after the guitar, spaghetti alla chitarra (chitarra means "guitar") was born in Abruzzo more than 200 years ago. We'll visit La Bilancia, the most outstanding restaurant in the picturesque olive-growing town Loreto Aprutino, where we’ll learn how this type of pasta is made. Following the pasta demonstration, we’ll feast on a magnificent Abruzzeze lunch featuring Chitarra alla Terramana and other dishes, with local wine.

What Makes Pasta alla Chitarra Special?

Unlike typical round spaghetti that’s extruded through a machine and sold dried, pasta alla chitarra is handmade and enjoyed fresh. It has a distinctive square cross-section, giving it a unique texture that beautifully holds sauce. It’s one of the region’s culinary treasures.

A Few Fast Facts

  • The name "chitarra" refers to the guitar-like appearance of the cutting tool

  • The traditional recipe uses durum-wheat semolina flour and eggs

  • In Abruzzo, spaghetti alla chitarra is traditionally served with tomato sauce with tiny meatballs (pallottine), which is one of La Bilancia’s specialties (Chitarra alla Terramana), or lamb ragù.

Leslie Brenner