Spaghetti alla Chitarra al Pomodoro e Basilico (Abruzzo Guitar Spaghetti with Tomato)
Square cut egg spaghetti from Abruzzo, tossed in a simple tomato sauce with garlic and plenty of fresh basil.
Made with Basic tomato sauce and Fresh egg pasta dough. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.05 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Make the fresh egg pasta dough (see the base recipe) and rest it. Roll it into sheets about 2.5 mm thick, a little thicker than for flat noodles, and cut to the width of your chitarra or a long knife.
- 2
Press the sheet onto the strings of a chitarra (a pasta cutter with wires) with a rolling pin so square sided spaghetti falls through. Without one, cut with a long sharp knife into 2.5 mm strips. Toss in semolina and nest loosely.
- 3
Warm 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wide pan over a low heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1 minute, until just fragrant and not browned.
1 min - 4
Add your ready made basic tomato sauce (see the base recipe) and simmer gently for 5 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
5 min - 5
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 3 minutes, until just tender, reserving a mug of cooking water.
3 min - 6
Toss the pasta in the sauce with a splash of the pasta water for 1 minute. Add the basil and last tablespoon of oil and serve at once.
Tips
- Cut the pasta thicker than flat noodles. Square spaghetti should be thick enough to have a firm bite.
- Cook the garlic slowly and never let it brown. Browned garlic turns bitter and takes over the sauce.
- Finish the pasta in the sauce rather than just spooning sauce on top, so every strand is coated.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Keep the sauce alone in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for 3 months. Cooked pasta keeps in the fridge for 1 day and should be reheated until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
What is a chitarra?
A chitarra, meaning guitar, is a wooden frame strung with thin wires. You press a pasta sheet through it to make square sided spaghetti, a speciality of Abruzzo in central Italy.
Can I make this without a chitarra?
Yes. Cut the rolled sheet into thin strips with a sharp knife or a pasta machine's spaghetti cutter. The strands will be flatter, but the dish still works well.
Is it dairy free?
Yes. There is no cheese or butter in the dish, so it is dairy free. It does contain egg and wheat, so it is not vegan or gluten free.
More made with basic tomato sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.