Chitarra spaghetti: a typical pasta from Abruzzo.

Identity, tradition, and goodness are just a few of the ingredients that make up the Italian cuisine. Giving a single definition to the Italian culinary movement is practically impossible: there are too many facets that compose it. Hundreds of ingredients, products, and typical dishes, recipes that sometimes change entirely just a few kilometers apart.

The product we will discuss comes from Abruzzo, it is spaghetti alla chitarra, a specialty that is now widespread in other regions, especially in the southern Adriatic regions. Discover their history, the origin of their name, which has nothing to do with musical notes, and some recipes to enjoy them at their best.

Spaghetti alla chitarra: why are they called that?

The name Spaghetti alla chitarra comes from the instrument used to make them: the chitarra. The chitarra or maccarunàre, gets its name from the shape of the instrument itself. There are metal strings spaced about 2-3 mm apart that are used to "cut" the pasta by pressing down with a rolling pin, resulting in elongated strands with a square cross-section.

Unlike classic round spaghetti, the spaghetti made with the chitarra has a greater roughness, as well as a square cross-section, hence the name square spaghetti, and holds sauces better like meat or fish ragù, along with robust flavored sauces.

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The cooking of spaghetti alla chitarra must be absolutely al dente. The pasta is made using durum wheat semolina, eggs, and a pinch of salt. The dough is first worked by hand to create an elastic consistency. It is then allowed to rest in a cool place for a certain period, and then rolled out to a thickness of 2-3 mm. Once the pasta is rolled out, strips of pasta, called "pettele", are placed on the chitarra, transforming into spaghetti thanks to the pressure of the rolling pin.

In Abruzzo, where it originates, spaghetti alla chitarra are called Tonnarelli, while in Molise, they are called Cirioli. In Puglia, they are known as Troccoli, from the vernacular term in Foggia “Trucchj’l”.

Spaghetti alla chitarra: here is their history

In the early 1500s in Abruzzo, a pasta called "Maccheroni a lu Rentrocele" was made. These macaroni were made with durum wheat flour. From the dough, sheets about 3 mm thick were rolled out, and a notched iron rolling pin called “Ferro per maccheroni” or “Ruzzolo” was used on top.

By applying pressure on the sheet, a sort of “tagliatelline” about 5 mm wide, called "Maccheroni a lu Rentrocele", was obtained. It seems that the name Rentrocele comes from this rotary movement made by the tool on the sheet to cut it. Around the second half of the 1700s, a tool called “Maccharunare” was invented, formed by a rectangular wooden frame with copper or brass wires spaced 3 mm apart. The Maccharunare quickly spread in the Abruzzo foothill area.

This new tool replaced the Ruzzolo used to prepare the maccheroni a lu Rentrocele. The macaroni were cut by applying pressure with the rolling pin and then passing a finger over the cut sheet at the base of the Maccharunare as if “playing an arpeggio,” to completely drop the cut pasta.

Presumably, by the end of the 1800s, the Maccharunare began to be called Chitarra, as noted in Gennaro Finamore's “Vocabolario dell’uso abruzzese” from 1893 where it states “Catarre o Chetarre” (likely due to a more modern linguistic evolution), but also because the stretched wires on the frame resemble the strings of a guitar. With the change of name, the ingredients for making the famous “Spaghetti alla chitarra” also changed.

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Spaghetti alla chitarra: recipes to enjoy them at their best

Spaghetti alla chitarra are a delicious dish that can be enjoyed in numerous ways, with various recipes and condiments. How can we not mention, for example, spaghetti alla chitarra with zucchini and stracchino, those with cherry tomatoes, or even with prawns and prosecco, and why not, pumpkin and porcini mushrooms.

A true specialty is spaghetti alla chitarra allo scoglio: a first course that becomes a main dish due to the abundance of shellfish and mollusks with which it is dressed, very tasty and flavorful.

But if you want to stick to the classic, here are spaghetti alla chitarra with pallottine, which are very small meatballs. They are a typical Abruzzese dish traditionally prepared for celebrations or family Sunday lunch. To make this dish, in addition to spaghetti alla chitarra, you need the pallottine, which are very small meatballs made of beef, and tomato sauce.
The characteristic of this pasta, as we have already mentioned, is that the spaghetti has a square cross-section, shape obtained thanks to the typical tool used to make them: the chitarra.
If you are looking for a suitable wine for this dish, stay in Abruzzo, an excellent Montepulciano is just what you need!

Francesco Scuderi