Guitar with balls
Chitarra con pallottine
Spaghetti alla chitarra abruzzese with small meatballs in tomato sauce: the Sunday dish of Abruzzo.
Pasta alla chitarra is the iconic pasta of Abruzzo: cut with a 'chitarra,' a tool made of a wooden frame with steel wires stretched like guitar strings.
Instructions
ShareVoice reading
4 steps · natural Italian voice
Prepare the meatballs
Mix it ground meat with the Parmigiano Reggiano, egg, chopped parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Form balls 1.5–2 cm (0.79 in) in diameter (no larger). Fry them in oil or cook them directly in the sauce.
Prepare the sauce
30 minSauté the onion in the oil. Add the canned whole peeled tomatoes Mash them. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the meatballs (if you didn't pre-fry them) and cook for another 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Add the basil.
Roll the pasta on the guitar
30 minMix flour and eggs, let rest for 30 minutes. Roll out to 3-4 mm thick. Place the dough on the chitarra and pass the rolling pin above: the pasta falls cut into square spaghetti.
Cook and serve
4 minCook the chitarra in salted water for 3-4 minutes. Drain. al dente and season with the sauce and the meatballs. Serve with Pecorino grated Abruzzese.
Chef's Tips
The meatballs must be small: if they are too big it is no longer called 'chitarra con pallottine' but pasta al ragĂąGuitar pasta can also be made without the instrument: cut the dough by hand into thin strips 3 mm thick with a sharp knife. The sauce should be simple: don't add too many ingredients.
The story
Pallottine (small meatballs) in tomato sauce complete the quintessential Abruzzese Sunday dish. The sauce should be simple, made with fresh tomatoes, and the meatballs should be small—no bigger than a hazelnut. The chitarra abruzzese is handcrafted and often passed down through the family.
Ingredients
- (10.58 oz) 300 g of 00 flour (for the pasta)
- 3 eggs (for the pasta)
- (7.05 oz) 200 g of ground meat mixed (beef and pork) (for the meatballs)
- (1.06 oz) 30 g of Parmigiano Reggiano grated (for the meatballs)
- 1 egg (for the meatballs)
- Parsley, nutmeg (for the meatballs)
- (14.11 oz) 400 g of canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 onion
- Extra virgin olive oil, basil
- Salt, pepper
- Pecorino Abruzzese or Parmigiano Reggiano grated (to serve)
Can't find it in the US?
- 00 flourMost US supermarkets
All-purpose flour, same weight
Or: Bread flour for pizza and bread
- pecorinoMost US supermarkets
Pecorino Romano is the easiest to find
It is saltier than most Italian pecorino: taste before adding salt.
⚠️ Automatic ingredient-based detection. Always check product labels.
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