Description
Spaghetti All’Assassina is a flavorful and spicy Italian pasta dish where spaghetti is cooked directly in a spicy tomato and chili-infused broth until it develops a unique charred texture and deep, rich flavor. This method creates a beautifully caramelized and slightly crispy pasta coated in a thick, robust sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 3 cups tomato passata or puree
- 2 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 oz. spaghetti
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil and aromatics: In a large 10″ to 11″ skillet over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil. Add the finely chopped garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, stirring continuously until the garlic softens and the oil takes on a golden hue from the flakes, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then, stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute until the garlic is lightly golden and the tomato paste breaks up into tiny clusters.
- Prepare the tomato broth and start cooking spaghetti: In a medium bowl, combine the tomato passata and the chicken broth. Increase the skillet heat to medium-high. Lay the spaghetti flat in the skillet over the flavored oil mixture. Add 1 cup of the tomato broth mixture and cook without disturbing it, allowing the liquid to evaporate and form a thick paste on the bottom and around the pasta, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Unstick and continue cooking with added broth: Use a metal spatula to gently unstick the spaghetti as it begins to char on the bottom. Add the kosher salt and another cup of tomato broth, cooking and stirring frequently until the liquid nearly evaporates and thickens into a sauce, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
- Finish cooking and develop charred texture: Continue gradually adding the remaining tomato broth, cooking and stirring occasionally. Allow the spaghetti to cook until it is al dente, has a charred texture on the bottom, and the sauce clings to the pasta, about 25 to 30 minutes more. The dish is ready when the pasta has absorbed most of the broth and developed a distinctive crispy, caramelized coating.
Notes
- Use a metal spatula to unstick the pasta to achieve the characteristic charring without breaking the noodles.
- Adjust the amount of chicken broth to ensure the spaghetti cooks slowly and evenly while developing the sauce.
- Low-sodium chicken broth is recommended to better control the saltiness of the dish.
- The slow simmering and gradual liquid absorption are key to achieving the spicy, charred, and flavorful texture unique to this recipe.
- This dish is traditionally quite spicy; adjust the crushed red pepper flakes to your taste preference.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Spaghetti All'Assassina, spicy spaghetti, Italian pasta, tomato sauce, charring pasta, easy Italian recipe
