Spaghetti All'Assassina

Spaghetti all’assassina is like the OG one-pot pasta. The spaghetti is cooked in a spicy tomato broth in a style similar to risotto and charred in the pan as the broth gets absorbed. And believe it or not, I ask you to burn the spaghetti in the initial stages and then again toward the end as the final liquid evaporates. It’s a key part to the dish! As long as you have a rich and saucy burned spaghetti situation, you’ve done it right.

So what’s the "assassina" all about? It’s a tomato-rich, umami-soaked one-pot spaghetti that’s been around for quite awhile—even before one-pot pasta started trending. This recipe has roots in Bari, Puglia, and somehow I missed experiencing it when studying abroad in the region. I’ve channeled those roots to re-create a unique pasta that even the most inquisitive cooks might question. Why does it insinuate a bloody massacre? It’s the rich tomato, burned starch, and spicy mess of it all. And it’s absolutely delicious.

How To Make Spaghetti All'Assassina

INGREDIENTS

• Olive Oil: I recommend using olive oil that’s specifically labeled “extra-virgin olive oil" (do not buy bottles labeled "light"), comes in a tinted glass bottle, and has been grown and produced on a single estate (which should be printed on the bottle). Follow these guidelines and you’ll be set. Frankies, Brightland, Cobram Estate, Kosterina, and Colavita are all good brands.
• Garlic: No dish of mine goes without garlic (most of them anyway). Garlic essentially adds a sweet umami fragrance to the tomato sauce it cannot live without. In a recipe that is super-simple, this is critical.
• Red Pepper Flakes: Keep the spices to a minimum. This isn’t a heavy-handed spicy dish. I’ve added just enough heat to give the back of your throat a little twinge—in the best way possible! I also tested this with fresh Italian/long peppers, which give this pasta another edge. Make sure you choose a spicy pepper though. If you're really sensitive to spice, you can skip the red pepper, but I highly recommend including it.
• Tomato Paste: Some recipes may call for more, but I opted for just 1 tablespoon. It's enough to grab onto the olive oil and turn into a jammy tomato consistency.
• Tomato Passata: Spend a few extra dollars to buy the few ingredients that this dish calls for. Sometimes tomato passata can be a little pricey, but it’s worth it here. Tomato passata means passed tomato and is cleaned of its skins and seeds, leaving behind a thick sauce-like consistency. Tomato passata comes in tall glass jars or cans, which may contain salt. Avoid any with salt so you can control that on your end.
• Chicken Broth: Instead of using water, I wanted to impart more flavor via chicken broth. I used low-sodium so I could control the amount of additional salt that went into the dish. A no-sodium broth doesn’t have much body. You can definitely use vegetable broth instead for a vegetarian dish.
• Spaghetti: It's easier to cook smaller portions of pasta due to the charring technique. Buy any spaghetti that says “bronze cut” on the box. It’s a small characteristic of great pasta that will make the experience just a bit better. I think that sauces stick better to pasta processed this way.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Be sure to use a 10" to 12" cast-iron or stainless steel skillet so the spaghetti fits without the urge to break; do not use nonstick. The first step is to cook the garlic and red pepper flakes. The garlic will smell savory and sweet at this point. To avoid any burning, make sure to reduce the heat to the lowest setting or remove from the stove entirely. Once garlic starts turning lightly golden, it hits the burning mark very quickly. After adding the tomato paste, it'll break up into tiny clusters. I call these tiny clusters because the tomato gets cut up by oil, which coats bits and pieces of it while frying.

Lay the spaghetti flat, add some tomato broth, and cook, completely undisturbed. This is a critical step, and you’re going to want to move the spaghetti, but don't! Let the sugar in the tomato paste burn around the strands of spaghetti.

After it begins to burn (yes, burn), unstick the spaghetti with a metal spatula. You'll add some more tomato broth, but you may not need to use all of it, depending on how quickly the pasta softens. The dish should be relatively saucy, though. Again, burning is a critical step, so avoid the urge to move the pasta around in the pan too much.

After 25 to 30 minutes, the spaghetti should be dark and crunchy. Give everything a good toss, add some red pepper flakes on top (if you're craving some extra heat), and serve!

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How do I serve spaghetti all'assassina? Plate the spaghetti with lots of Pecorino Romano or Parmesan and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
• What is the best pan to use? Make sure to use a large skillet big enough for the spaghetti to stretch out in. Do not use a pot for best results.
• What do I do when it starts to burn? As I've said before, don't stress if the spaghetti is burning or charring—that's the magic of this recipe. You'll be tempted to stir or break it up, but try to resist as much as you can.

Storage

This isn't an ideal make-ahead recipe...you should cook this à la minute and serve immediately. It's not a dish that stands well to meal prep or reheating, as the spaghetti would likely turn to mush.