Maria’s Spaghetti alla Chitarra con Olio e Parmigiana
If music be the food of love, then we’d like all the big notes to be pasta. Maria recently demonstrated how this spaghetti is hand-rolled an then cut into strands with a stringed instrument a little like a guitar, which is where it gets the name from. The ingredients for this dish are simple, but are a perfect harmony of flavour. If you don’t have a chittarra you can easily cut these by hand.
- 45 minutes
- Medium
- Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
- 600 g Italian “00” flour
- 3 large eggs (about 55–60 g each, without shell)
- 30–50 ml water (2–31⁄2 tablespoons), added gradually
- Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
- Parmesan cheese, a few large handfuls (to taste_
Method
Form the dough and shape:
- Place the flour in a mound on a wooden work surface. Make a well in the center and add the 3 eggs.
- Begin incorporating the flour into the eggs with a fork or fingertips. Add water little by little until the dough comes together. Note: the dough should be firm and dense, not soft.)
- Knead vigorously for 10–15 minutes, until very smooth and elastic.
- The dough should feel tight under the hands and spring back when pressed.
- Rest the dough: cover with a bowl or cloth and let it sit for 20–30 minutes at room temperature.
- Divide: cut the dough into 2 equal portions
- Roll: using a long wooden rolling pin, roll each portion into a very thin sheet:
- Cut with the chitarra (if you have one). Place the dough sheet on the wider-string chitarra. Press with the rolling pin so the dough passes cleanly through the strings. The result should look like square-cut maccheroni, slightly wider than fine spaghetti. You can manually cut into strands, or use a pasta machine.
Cooking
- Cook in salted boiling water.
- Fresh pasta needs 2–3 minutes, until al dente.
- Toss with good olive oil and finish with grated Parmigiano before serving.
