Chitarra Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

On a clean work surface or in a large bowl, combine 00 flour and semolina flour. Make a mound and create a wide well in the center. Sprinkle the fine sea salt over the flour mound.

Add eggs and oil

Crack the 4 large eggs and the extra egg yolk into the well. Add the tablespoon of olive oil. Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs in the center, gradually incorporating a little flour from the inner rim so the wall holds. Continue until mixture becomes thick and shaggy.

Form and knead dough

Once the dough begins to come together, use your hands to incorporate remaining flour until a cohesive dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time; if too sticky, dust with a little flour. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. The dough should spring back when pressed.

Rest the dough

Shape dough into a ball, coat lightly with a drizzle of olive oil (optional), wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (up to 1 hour). Rest relaxes gluten and makes rolling easier.

Divide and flatten

Unwrap rested dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. Keep pieces you are not working with wrapped to prevent drying. Lightly flour your work surface and roll one piece into a flat rectangle about 1/8" (3 mm) thick using a rolling pin or pasta machine to about setting #4–5 (if using a machine).

Trim and size

Trim edges to form a neat rectangle roughly 8 x 12 inches (20 x 30 cm) so the sheet fits the chitarra frame comfortably.

Use the chitarra

Place the pasta sheet across the strings of the chitarra (a wooden frame with parallel strings), lightly dust with semolina to prevent sticking. Using a rolling pin, roll evenly across the sheet with moderate pressure so the blade of each string cuts the sheet into long, square-section strands (chitarra). If you don't have a chitarra, you can cut with a sharp knife into 3–4 mm wide strands.

Dust and separate

Shake the cut noodles gently to separate and toss lightly with a dusting of semolina or flour so they don't stick together. Form loose nests on a tray or cloth while you cut the remaining sheets. Do not overcrowd.

Boil water

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons coarse salt (or to taste).

Cook pasta

Add the chitarra noodles to the boiling water and stir gently. Fresh chitarra cooks quickly — 2 to 4 minutes depending on thickness. Taste for al dente: tender but with a slight bite. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.

Finish with sauce

Return the drained pasta (or use tongs to transfer directly from pot) to the sauté pan containing 2–3 cups of warm sauce. Toss over medium heat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to help the sauce emulsify and coat the noodles (use 1/4 to 3/4 cup as needed). Toss for 1–2 minutes until sauce clings to the pasta.

Serve

Divide into 4 portions. Plate and top each serving with a sprinkle of freshly grated Pecorino or Parmesan (about 2 tablespoons per serving), a grind of black pepper, and chopped basil or parsley if using. Serve immediately.