Maccheroni alla Chitarra con Ragù d’Agnello (Traditional Italian Abruzzese Guitar Cut Pasta with Lamb Ragù)

3 days ago
6 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Maccheroni alla Chitarra con Ragù d’Agnello (Traditional Italian Abruzzese Guitar Cut Pasta with Lamb Ragù)

Story of the Dish

Maccheroni alla chitarra are one of Abruzzo’s signature pastas. The square-section strands are traditionally cut by pressing sheets of egg pasta over a wooden frame strung with metal wires, the chitarra. Their firm edges and rough surface are ideal for robust sauces, especially lamb ragù. The combination reflects Abruzzo’s pastoral landscape, where sheep farming and handmade pasta have long shared the same table.

A good lamb ragù should taste deeply of meat but remain cleaner and lighter than a long-cooked beef ragù. Browning the lamb thoroughly, reducing the wine and using tomato with restraint preserve the character of the meat. The pasta must finish cooking in the sauce so starch from the maccheroni emulsifies with the lamb fat and tomato, producing a glossy coating rather than a pool of sauce beneath the pasta.

Recipe Information

Ingredients

• For the pasta: 2 cups Italian 00 flour or all-purpose flour

• 3 large eggs

• 1 egg yolk

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• For the ragù: 1 lb ground lamb or finely diced lamb shoulder

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 small onion, finely diced

• 1 small carrot, finely diced

• 1 celery rib, finely diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1/2 cup dry red wine

• 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup light beef or lamb stock

• 1 rosemary sprig

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Abruzzese or Pecorino Romano

Preparation

1. Make the pasta dough by combining flour, eggs, yolk and salt. Knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, wrap and rest 30 minutes. Roll into sheets about 1/8 inch thick and cut on a chitarra or into square-edged strands with a pasta cutter. Dust lightly with semolina.

2. For the ragù, heat olive oil in a wide sauté pan. Brown the lamb in batches until deeply colored. Remove excess fat only if necessary. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook until sweet and lightly golden. Stir in garlic and tomato paste.

3. Deglaze with red wine and reduce until nearly dry. Add tomatoes, stock, rosemary and bay leaf. Simmer gently 60 to 75 minutes until the lamb is tender and the sauce concentrated. Remove herbs and adjust seasoning.

4. Boil the pasta in generously salted water until about 2 minutes shy of done. Transfer directly to the ragù with a small amount of pasta water. Finish cooking in the pan, tossing vigorously until the sauce clings to every strand. Add Pecorino off heat and adjust consistency with pasta water.

Professional Technique

Fresh chitarra cooks quickly, so the ragù must be fully ready before the pasta goes into the water.

The final two minutes in the pan are essential. This is where starch, rendered lamb fat, tomato and cheese become one sauce.

Do not flood the pasta with ragù. The strands should be coated and glossy, with small pieces of lamb distributed throughout.

Chef Tips

Lamb shoulder gives a richer ragù than very lean ground lamb.

If hand-cutting instead of using a chitarra, keep the strands slightly thicker than tagliolini.

Finish with Pecorino rather than Parmigiano for a more regional flavor.

Common Mistakes

Boiling fresh pasta too long before transferring it to the sauce.

Leaving excess liquid in the ragù and serving watery pasta.

Skipping the wine reduction and retaining raw alcoholic flavor.

Adding cheese over high heat and causing clumping.

Wine Pairing

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo: the classic regional match, with dark fruit and enough structure for lamb.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo: a fuller rosato that works when the ragù is lighter.

Aglianico del Vulture: savory tannin and dark fruit match lamb richness.

Rosso Piceno: Sangiovese acidity keeps the sauce lively.

Etna Rosso: mineral freshness and moderate tannin provide an elegant alternative.

Storage and Reheating

Store ragù separately in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Fresh pasta is best cooked immediately but may be frozen uncooked on a tray and transferred to a bag once firm. Reheat finished pasta gently with a splash of water.

Additional Chef Notes

Abruzzese cooking values directness: strong ingredients handled with precision. Lamb brings sweetness and mineral depth, Pecorino adds salinity, and the chitarra provides a tactile chew that ordinary spaghetti cannot duplicate. The sauce should support that texture rather than bury it.

For restaurant plating, twist the pasta into a compact mound with visible pieces of lamb distributed through the strands. Spoon only a small amount of additional ragù over the top, finish with Pecorino and a thread of olive oil, and serve immediately while the emulsion is still glossy.

Nutrition per Serving

Calories: 690

Protein: 37 g

Carbohydrates: 72 g

Fat: 27 g

Saturated Fat: 9 g

Fiber: 5 g

Sugars: 7 g

Sodium: 880 mg

Cholesterol: 195 mg

Ingredient Selection, Control and Service

The pasta dough should be firm enough to pass cleanly through the chitarra but supple enough not to crack. Egg size and flour absorption vary, so add flour cautiously and judge the dough by feel. After kneading, the surface should be smooth and elastic. Resting is mandatory because it relaxes gluten and makes rolling easier. When the sheet is pressed over the metal strings, the strands should fall cleanly without sticking together. A light dusting of semolina is preferable to heavy flouring, which can make the cooking water excessively cloudy.

The lamb ragù should be concentrated but not greasy. Lamb shoulder provides flavor because of its connective tissue and moderate fat. Brown it in small batches so the meat develops color rather than steaming. After the wine reduces, tomato and stock should simmer gently until the sauce becomes cohesive. Skim excess fat if necessary, but do not remove all of it; a small amount is essential for the final emulsion with pasta water and Pecorino.

The final pan finish is the most important moment of the recipe. Transfer the maccheroni while still clearly underdone and add only enough pasta water to keep the pan moving. Toss over medium-high heat so starch releases and binds with the lamb fat and tomato. Add Pecorino off direct heat to avoid clumping. The sauce should cling to every square-edged strand, with no puddle at the bottom of the plate. Serve immediately because fresh egg pasta continues to absorb liquid after plating.

Final Professional Notes

Fresh pasta water should be salted but not excessively. Because the ragù, Pecorino and lamb already contribute seasoning, an aggressively salty pot can push the finished sauce out of balance. Reserve more pasta water than you think you need; the sauce may tighten quickly once fresh pasta and cheese are combined in the pan.

Do not let the finished maccheroni sit in the sauté pan after the emulsion is complete. Fresh egg pasta continues absorbing moisture immediately, which turns a glossy sauce dry in minutes. Plate as soon as the strands are coated, and warm the serving bowls beforehand so the sauce remains fluid long enough for the guest to enjoy the correct texture.

Service and Final Balance

If the ragù is made ahead, cool it quickly and reheat slowly before cooking the pasta. A rested lamb ragù often tastes better because the meat and aromatics have had time to integrate, but it may also become thicker in refrigeration. Loosen it with a small amount of stock before the pasta goes into the water, then use pasta water only during the final toss. This preserves control over both flavor concentration and starch level, preventing the finished sauce from becoming either greasy or overly dense.

The sauce-to-pasta ratio should remain disciplined. Chitarra has enough surface area and roughness to carry a surprising amount of ragù, so adding extra sauce on top can make the dish heavy. After tossing, lift a strand with tongs: it should be evenly stained with sauce and hold small pieces of lamb along its surface. If liquid drips freely, continue emulsifying; if the pasta looks dry, add pasta water one spoonful at a time rather than more tomato.

Chef Gianluca Deiana