Maccheroni alla Chitarra with Abruzzese Ragù

🛒 Ingredients

• Durum wheat semolina flour 80 g · 291 kcal
• Large eggs 75 g · 116 kcal
• Water 15 g · 0 kcal
• Pork shoulder, diced 38 g · 95 kcal
• Beef chuck, diced 37 g · 93 kcal
• Yellow onion, chopped 25 g · 10 kcal
• Carrot, chopped 20 g · 7 kcal
• Celery stalk, chopped 13 g · 1 kcal
• Garlic cloves, minced 3 g · 4 kcal
• Crushed tomatoes (passata) 100 g · 20 kcal
• Dry red wine 25 g · 20 kcal
• Extra virgin olive oil 8 g · 72 kcal
• Pecorino Romano cheese, grated 10 g · 39 kcal
• Bay leaf 1 g · 0 kcal
• Black pepper, freshly ground 1 g · 0 kcal

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Combine durum wheat semolina flour and eggs in a bowl; mix until a shaggy dough forms. Turn onto a clean surface and knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic; cover and let rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. For the ragù, heat extra virgin olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add diced yellow onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Push vegetables to one side, increase heat slightly, then add diced pork shoulder and beef chuck; brown meat on all sides for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Deglaze the pot with dry red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to very low, cover, and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fork-tender and the sauce is thick and rich.
6. Once the dough has rested, roll out small portions thinly into sheets, then pass them through a chitarra pasta cutter to create the signature square-cut maccheroni. Lightly dust with semolina to prevent sticking.
7. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fresh maccheroni and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
8. Drain the maccheroni and add them directly to the ragù in the pot. Toss to coat the pasta evenly with the rich sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to achieve the desired consistency. Serve immediately, garnished with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.