Maccheroni alla Chitarra with Lamb Ragu

Like several other regions, Abruzzo has a type of pasta that is unique to its region.  That pasta is Maccheroni alla Chitarra.  Shaped like square spaghetti, this pasta is traditionally made using a tool called a chitarra,or guitar which has strings situated closely together as with a traditional guitar.  The dough for the pasta is made and is then rolled out flat.  The sheet of dough is then placed on the string of the chitarra and is then rolled over with a rolling pin to push the dough through the strings, cutting it into long, square-shaped pasta.  If you don't have a chitarra though, which I don't, you can make the pasta by rolling it out and simply cutting it into thin strips using a sharp knife.

Another traditional part of Abruzzo cooking is the incorporation of lamb.  Lamb is something that I have never cooked with before, nor can I even remember eating it.  However, Maccheroni alla Chitarra is often paired with a lamb ragu, and so I felt obligated to give it a shot.  Normally, the lamb ragu is made from chunks of lamb shoulder mixed in with a marinara sauce.  However, I chose to use ground lamb and mix it with the marinara sauce so that it was just a meat sauce.  I also made some mini lamb meatballs to accompany the pasta.  The lamb was an interesting change, but I think for the most part I will stick to beef meatballs!

Maccheroni alla Chitarra with Lamb Ragu

Adapted from Rustico: Regional Italian Country Cooking by Micol Negrin, 2002

-Makes 3/4 pound pasta-

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 extra large eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 pound ground lamb

1 1/4 cup marinara sauce, store-bought or home-made

Process:

1. In a bowl, mix together the flour and salt with a fork.  Make a well in the flour and add in the eggs.  Use a fork to gradually add the flour to the dough. Once it gets too hard to use a fork, continue to mix using your hands.  If too dry, add a little water.  If too sticky, add a little flour.
2. When the dough is formed, knead it for about 5 minutes.  Cover with plastic and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out the pasta as thin as you can on a flat surface using a rolling pin.  When the pasta is rolled out, cut the dough into thin strips as thick as wide as the dough is thick, so that each piece will be a square shape.  You can do this by rolling the dough up into a log, as was shown in the recipe for Umbricelli.  However, I find that this squishes the pasta.  Using a pizza cutter to just cut the pasta into strips seemed to work well for me.
4. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add salt.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of your pasta.  Drain the pasta.
5. Brown the ground lamb in a skillet. 
6. Add the lamb and the marinara sauce to the pasta and serve with some grated parmigiano reggiano.

Ryan's rating of Maccheroni alla Chitarra - 4

Lamb Meatballs

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground lamb

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking sheet.
2. Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.  Form balls that are 1 inch in diameter and place on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Cook for about 25 minutes, turning the meatballs once. 

Ryan's rating of Lamb Meatballs - 4.

 

Comments

[Jeanne]

I'm so excited to try making my own pasta at home. Those pictures make me want to run home right now and get started. Blasted job is getting in the way.

[Sue]

Do it. Right now. It really doesnt take that long and its so worth it!