When a sheet of rich egg dough is placed over the chitarra machine and pressed through its strings, the resulting strands of spaghetti have square edges instead of rounded ones. Some South Philadelphia chefs make this specialty of Abruzzi, a region in central Italy, very well. Tre Scalini's Franca DiRenzo, a native of Molise, kneads her dough by hand for 20 minutes before cutting it. Now Barilla, one of the world's largest pasta makers, has introduced its own dried spaghetti alla chitarra to the U.S. market. And it is excellent, made with fresh eggs instead of the powdered eggs most commercial pasta producers use.
Barilla is test-marketing it in New York.
But Philadelphia-area supermarkets, including Super Fresh, Pathmark and Shop Rite, have been able to stock it, too. Small dishes in vegetable, fruit or flower shapes are an ideal size for holding dips, salsas and condiments on spring and summer dinner tables. This colorful five-piece set makes an affordable shower or hostess gift.