Spaghetti Alla Chitarra Recipes

Steps:

• For the pasta: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, semolina and salt and pile up in the center of the bowl. Create a shallow well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg. Beat the egg and oil together with a fork. Using a plastic spatula, stir the egg and slowly incorporate into the flour. Mix until the dough ball forms, then remove from the bowl and place the dough on a clean work surface.
• Knead the dough into a smooth dough ball, about 10 minutes. Immediately wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap to avoid drying out. Rest the dough at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using.
• Cut the pasta to linguine size using a chitarra or other pasta machine.
• For the sauce: In a medium saucepot, add the olive oil and guanciale and cook over medium heat to render the fat from the guanciale until it starts to turn light brown.
• Add the garlic, oregano, crushed pepper and basil, and mix; cook until the garlic is fully cooked through and the herbs are infused in the oil. Add the clams, stock and wine, and increase to high heat; cover with a lid to steam open the clams, 3 to 4 minutes. As soon as the clams open, remove from the heat to avoid overcooking; remove all of the clams from the pot and reserve the sauce. Remove half of the clams from their shells and add to the sauce.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, about 3 minutes.
• Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat to allow the pasta to soak up some of the sauce, then add the lemon juice and pea tendrils. Toss, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary.
• To plate, twist the pasta and place in the center of the plate, then top with the remaining sauce. Place the clams in the shells on top and garnish with a few fresh opal basil leaves, some herb flowers, a drizzle of Ligurian olive oil and Calabrian chile oil and shavings from the mullet bottarga.

Steps:

• Cook chitarra pasta or spaghetti according to package directions. Do not rinse pasta with cold water.
• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, and add the crushed garlic. Heat the garlic in the oil for a few seconds to infuse the flavor of the garlic in the oil. Remove the garlic, and set aside.
• Add the porcini mushrooms to the skillet, and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the heavy cream, truffle paste, pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and mix all ingredients together.
• To serve, plate pasta, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Steps:

• Roll the dough out to the third thickest setting on the pasta sheeter (number 5 using a KitchenAid attachment) according to the directions given in "Matt's Scuola di Pasta" (page 158). Dust a baking sheet lightly with semolina and dust a work surface with flour. Lay one sheet of the dough on top of a chitarra and use a rolling pin to roll the length of the pasta, pressing it into the strings to form thin strips. (Alternatively, to cut the strands by hand, roll the dough out to the thinnest setting on a pasta machine-8 on a KitchenAid mixer-and place the sheets on the baking sheet, dusting lightly with semolina between each sheet. When you've rolled all of the pasta dough, trim the edges of one sheet to make a rectangle with straight edges. Using the first sheet as a template, cut the remaining sheets so you have a stack of rectangular pasta sheets. Cut the rectangles crosswise into 1/16-inch-wide strips that are as long as the sheet is wide.) Use the spaghetti or cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate the pasta up to one day. To freeze, place the baking sheet in the freezer until the pasta is firm to the touch. Transfer the pasta to sealable plastic bags, or an airtight container, dusting off the excess semolina, and freeze for up to two weeks (any longer and the pasta will dry out and crack).

Steps:

• Set the rollers of a hand-crank or electric pasta machine at their widest opening. Unwrap dough; flatten with the palms of your hands and run it once through the machine. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter and run through the machine again. Repeat this step two or three times, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Change the rollers of the pasta machine to the next decreasing setting, and roll out the dough once without folding. Keep rolling the sheet through the machine on decreasing settings until it is about 1/8-inch thick.
• Place a chitarra on work surface and lay pasta sheet over chittara. Using a rolling pin, press down on pasta sheets to cut into strands; set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted. Add cured tomatoes and cook until they break down slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Drain pasta and add it to saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until well combined, about 1 minute. Add half of the cheese; stir to combine. Add orange zest and chile, stir, and remove from heat.
• Divide evenly among four individual plates. Serve immediately sprinkled with remaining cheese and garnished with marjoram leaves.

Steps:

• Mound flour in center of a large work surface and make a well in the middle. Place egg yolks and 1 tablespoon water in well.
• Using a fork, slowly incorporate flour, beginning with inner rim of well. When flour is incorporated, gather dough together to form a rounded mass. Begin kneading dough with the palms of your hands; knead dough until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 20 minutes before using.

Steps:

• Place the meats, tomatoes, butter, oil, onion and carrot into a large pan and cook over medium-low heat about an hour stirring occasionally.
• While the sauce is cooking place the flour in a mound onto a board which has a depression on the top into which the eggs have been placed; or place into a bread machine on the dough setting, removing after kneading is finished.
• Knead the pasta dough, for about 35-40 minutes if making by hand.
• Roll out the completely kneaded dough into a large sheet, or use a pasta machine to roll out if you are fortunate enough to have one.
• Cut the sheet into 8 x 24 inch rectangles.
• Lay each rectangle length-wise over the"chitarra" and push down on each one with the rolling pin to make the macaroni, OR cut into narrow strips so that it looks like something between spaghetti and a narrow fettuccine noodles.
• Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
• Add the salt to the water.
• Add pasta and boil until they float to the top of the pot or is cooked until ala'dente.
• Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water.
• Add sauce to the pasta immediately.
• Before serving add the few drops of oil in which the hot pepper has been sautéed and toss lightly through the pasta.
• Serve hot topped with Parmesan Cheese.

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add guanciale (see Cook's Note). Cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Let cool, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk eggs, half of the Pecorino Romano cheese, and some black pepper in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Pour egg mixture over pasta, stirring quickly, until creamy and slightly cooled. Stir in guanciale. Top with remaining Pecorino Romano cheese and more black pepper.