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1
Combine the semolina and 00 flour in equal measure on a board. Make a well and break in the whole eggs. Work to a stiff, uniform dough — no water is added. Knead until smooth and no longer tacky. Wrap and rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. The dough is ready when it holds an impression of a thumb without springing back.
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2
Check the tension of each wire on the chitarra: a wire that deflects more than 2 mm under light pressure must be re-tightened before use, as slack wires crush rather than cut. Roll the rested dough to exactly 3 mm — the same thickness as the wire spacing. Too thin and the sheets collapse between the wires; too thick and the pasta turns gelatinous in the pot.
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3
Lay the 3 mm sheet across the wire frame. Set a rolling pin at one edge and press the frame down firmly, rocking the pin forward in a single deliberate pass. The wires cut; they do not press. Lift the frame and collect the square-sectioned strands beneath. Dust with semolina and nest loosely. The strands should show a clean, sharp rib — not a compressed or flattened edge.
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4
Combine the lamb and pork mince in equal parts. Add the single crumble of stale bread that has been soaked in milk and squeezed almost dry. Work briefly and roll into balls no larger than a hazelnut. This is where the dish lives or dies: pallottine that exceed hazelnut size will dominate the pasta rather than integrate with it, and the balance of the sugo is destroyed.
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5
Heat the lard in a wide pan until it shimmers and just begins to haze. Add the pallottine in a single layer without crowding. Brown over high heat, rolling them once, until a firm crust has formed on all sides. The crust must be set before they enter the tomato sauce — if they are added pale, they will soften into the sauce and lose their structure.
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6
Add the tomato sauce to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 90 minutes. At 60 minutes the sauce will still taste sharp and angular; at 90 minutes it rounds and the pallottine will have swollen with flavour. The sugo is ready when it coats a spoon in a deep, brick-red film with no raw acidity on the palate.
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7
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the chitarra strands and cook until the pasta is tender but retains a firm core — the square cross-section means it cooks slightly faster than round spaghetti of the same nominal thickness. Drain, reserving a ladleful of pasta water. Dress the strands in the pan with the pallottine sugo, adding a little pasta water if needed to coat every rib. The pasta is ready when each strand glistens evenly and the sauce clings without pooling.
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8
Divide into four warmed bowls. Distribute the pallottine evenly. Finish at the table with freshly grated pecorino di Farindola — sheep's milk only; Parmigiano is not used here.