Origially from Abruzzo, Maccheroni alla Chitarra (guitar Maccheroni) are the original squared section long format.

This type of pasta was cut with a special tool called "chitarra" (guitar), consisting of a wooden loom with taut thin iron threads. The pasta, (the thickness of which equaled the space between one thread and the other) was placed on the threads and cut into bits by pressing a special rolling pin.

The most typical sauce for this pasta is lamb ragù. In some areas of the Abruzzo region the traditional sauce for Maccheroni alla Chitarra is a tomato sauce thickenned with 1 cm diameter veal meat balls, the so called "pallottelle". Maccheroni alla Chitarra are also exquisite with meat gravies, with tomato and aubergine or meat and Cayenne pepper sauces.