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spaghetti all'assassina
Hannah Brooks

Spaghetti all'assassina (Spicy Seared Tomato Spaghetti from Bari)

Summary Spaghetti all'assassina is a spicy tomato pasta from Bari, in Puglia. Dry spaghetti cooks directly in a 12-inch skillet with garlic, chili, olive oil, and hot tomato broth, added a cup at a time. Between additions the pasta sears against the pan, so some strands turn dark and crisp while the rest stay tender. It takes 35 minutes (10 prep, 25 cook) and serves 4. Ingredients: 2 cups passata, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 3 cups hot water, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 4 sliced garlic cloves, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 12 ounces dry spaghetti.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 440
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
For the tomato broth
  • 2 cups tomato passata one 16-ounce jar or carton of smooth strained tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 cups hot water
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal; use about 1/2 teaspoon if using Morton or fine salt, plus more to taste
For the pan
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 to 2 dried whole chiles (peperoncino)
  • 12 ounces dry spaghetti
Optional, to finish
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
  • Chopped fresh parsley
  • Grated Pecorino Romano not traditional, but common in home kitchens

Equipment

  • Equipment
  • 12-inch cast iron or heavy skillet. Heavy pans hold steady heat, which is what builds the dark crust. A large carbon steel pan also works. Avoid thin nonstick pans, which brown poorly and should not be used over high heat.
  • Small saucepan for keeping the tomato broth hot.
  • Tongs for turning the spaghetti.
  • Ladle or 1-cup measuring cup for adding broth.
  • Thin metal spatula for scraping up the browned bottom layer

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Whisk the passata, tomato paste, hot water, and salt in a saucepan. Keep it hot at a bare simmer.
  2. Heat the skillet over medium. Cook the oil, garlic, and chili for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add 1/2 cup of the broth and simmer for 1 minute.
  4. Add the dry spaghetti, pressing it into the sauce. Raise the heat to medium-high.
  5. Add 1 cup of broth. Turn the pasta and cook 3 to 4 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
  6. Stop stirring for 1 to 2 minutes so the bottom sears, then flip the pasta in sections.
  7. Repeat with 1 cup of broth three more times, for 15 to 18 minutes total.
  8. Taste for al dente. If the pasta is still firm, add hot water 1/4 cup at a time.
  9. Remove from the heat, adjust the salt, add the optional finish, and serve right away.

Notes

Doneness: The pasta should have a slight bite and the sauce should be thick and glossy. A few strands should be dark and crisp, and the pan should smell toasty, not acrid.
Keep the broth hot. Cold liquid stalls the pasta and makes it gummy.
Don't brown the garlic. It turns bitter during the sear.
Avoid: a small pan, constant stirring, high heat from the start, and walking away from the stove.
Heat level: Use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of flakes for milder, or add whole dried chiles for hotter.
Substitutions: Blended and strained canned tomatoes can stand in for passata. Vegetable broth can replace the water. Gluten-free spaghetti works but gives a softer, less crisp result.
Diet: It is vegan as written if your dry pasta contains no egg.
Storage: Refrigerate within 2 hours for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for 1 to 2 months. Reheat to 165°F in a skillet with a splash of water and oil.
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