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Abruzzo · Chitarra con Pallottine

Spaghetti alla Chitarra con Pallottine

Abruzzese chitarra spaghetti with tiny meatballs in fresh tomato sauce.

Total

45 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Serves

4

IntermediateFamilyTomatoMeaty
Spaghetti alla Chitarra con Pallottine — Chitarra con Pallottine

The Story

Where it comes from

A treasured pasta from Abruzzo, this dish carries generations of regional tradition — from the choice of pasta shape to the way the sauce is built. Cooked slowly, served generously, and best shared at the table.

Mise en Place

Ingredients

For 4 servings. Quantities are by weight where it matters — Italian cooking is a math of grams and minutes.

For the pasta

  • Pasta

    the shape called for above

    400 g

  • Coarse salt

    for water

For the sauce

  • Extra-virgin olive oil

    60 ml

  • Garlic

    2 cloves

  • Sea salt and black pepper

    to taste

  • Regional aromatics

    see story for the regional ingredient palette

    as the recipe calls

To finish

  • Grated regional cheese

    Parmigiano, Pecorino or local variety

    40 g

Equipment

Heavy potWide skilletWooden spoon

The Method

Chef-led, step by step

  1. 1

    Boil the water

    8 min

    Bring 4 L of water to a rolling boil. Salt generously.

  2. 2

    Build the sauce

    15 min

    While the water heats, prepare the sauce in a wide skillet over medium heat using the regional aromatics for this dish.

  3. 3

    Cook the pasta

    10 min

    Drop the pasta and cook until al dente, 1 minute shy of the package time. Reserve a cup of pasta water.

  4. 4

    Marry the pasta and sauce

    2 min

    Drain the pasta and toss in the skillet with the sauce, adding pasta water as needed for a glossy coating.

  5. 5

    Finish and serve

    1 min

    Off heat, fold in the cheese, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately on warm plates.

Chef tips

  • ·Salt the water like the sea — it is the pasta's only seasoning from below.
  • ·Reserve pasta water before draining; the starch binds sauce to pasta.
  • ·Serve on warm plates so the dish doesn't cool prematurely.

Common mistakes

  • ·Overcooking the pasta — al dente is the only acceptable doneness.
  • ·Skipping the pasta water — sauce won't cling without it.
  • ·Drowning the pasta in too much sauce — Italian portions are restrained.

The Cellar

Wine pairings

Regional white

Abruzzo

The local wine grew up with this dish and balances it intuitively.

Shopping List

What to bring home

  • Pasta400 g
  • Coarse saltfor water
  • Extra-virgin olive oil60 ml
  • Garlic2 cloves
  • Sea salt and black pepperto taste
  • Regional aromaticsas the recipe calls
  • Grated regional cheese40 g

Questions

Frequently asked

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