Spaghetti all'Assassina (Spicy Charred Pasta)
Letting the pasta burn and char in parts is the key to this unusual southern Italian dish, which caramelizes the flavor and adds a good bit of texture. Just avoid the temptation to fuss with it! The noodles need plenty of contact with the hot pan. Leave as-is for a satisfying vegan dinner, or add a dollop of burrata for extra decadence.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 spicy red chili peppers (like Fresno or Holland), thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 16 ounces tomato sauce (homemade or quality store-bought)
- Ground black pepper
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- Burrata (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Make a tomato broth. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat, then stir in the tomato paste and season generously with salt. Turn off the heat, leaving the pan on the burner.
- Prepare the tomato sauce. Set a wide, deep skillet (large enough to lay the spaghetti in it without breaking) over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chili peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring regularly until fragrant, no more than 30 seconds. Add the 16 ounces of tomato sauce to the skillet (not the tomato broth you made earlier, we’ll use that in a minute). Bring the sauce to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Coat the spaghetti. Place the (uncooked) spaghetti in the skillet with the hot chili and tomato sauce. Use a large spoon to spread the spaghetti in one layer, pushing down and spooning the sauce over the top so the noodles are well-coated. Turn the heat to high and let it sit until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce, about 3 minutes
- Cook the spaghetti. When the pan starts to look dry, add a ladleful of the warmed tomato broth. Do not move or toss the pasta, as it is meant to absorb the tomato broth and char some of the noodles at the bottom. Once the majority of the broth has been absorbed, add another ladle or two of the tomato broth over the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Continue to ladle the tomato broth over the pasta, letting it absorb the broth before each new addition.
- Flip. When you’ve used about half the broth, use tongs to turn the spaghetti over. You should see dark, almost burnt-looking crispy pieces. Continue ladling in the broth and allowing the spaghetti to absorb and char until you’ve used all of the broth.
- Finish and serve. Remove from heat and transfer to pasta bowls. Serve immediately, with a spoonful of burrata on top if you’d like.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 367.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 75.1g | Protein: 13.7g | Fat: 1.8g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 686.1mg | Potassium: 771mg | Fiber: 5.5g | Sugar: 9.5g | Vitamin A: 955.1IU | Vitamin C: 44.3mg | Calcium: 52.6mg | Iron: 2.9mg
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