Spaghetti all’Assassina (Assassin’s Spaghetti) from Puglia
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
533 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian
Spaghetti all’Assassina (Assassin’s Spaghetti) from Puglia
Description
The recipe combines diced garlic and fresh or crushed chili peppers sautéed in olive oil until aromatic, then adds tomato passata and paste to form a spicy, slightly sweet tomato broth, tempered with optional sugar to balance acidity. Fine spaghetti is submerged in this hot broth in a cast iron pan and cooked until tender, absorbing the intense flavors, while occasional stirring helps distribute the sauce and create lightly charred crispy edges characteristic of this dish.
The garlic and olive oil provide fragrant depth, and the heat level can be adjusted with fresh chili or flakes. Cherry tomatoes may be added for texture and brightness, and seasoning with salt and pepper balances the dish. It's served hot as a main course, showcasing the interplay between spicy tomato sauce and pasta.
Leftovers keep in a sealed container refrigerated for 2-3 days and reheat with additional olive oil and water to prevent drying. Using a cast iron pan preserves the traditional technique by evenly distributing heat and developing the dish’s signature crust.
Ingredients
- 11 ounces spaghetti fine spaghetti is better. I used spaghetti Di Martino, or vermicelli
- 14 ounces tomato passata homemade or store-bought
- 1-2 tablespoon tomato paste concentrate
- 0.4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 garlic peeled and 1-2 chopped, 1 left whole, cloves
- 1 red chili pepper or according to taste, fresh peperoncino or ½ tablespoon flakes
- 1-2 teaspoon sugar optional
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 12 cherry tomato optional
Instructions
- Peel the garlic and chop 1-2 cloves finely. If using a fresh red chilli cut into small pieces. Remove the seeds if you prefer it less spicy.
- Prepare a broth made with water, ⅔ of the tomato passata/purée (1:1), and the tomato paste and salt, and bring to a boil and simmer. You want the broth to be a bright red and tasty, but still a broth. This broth needs to be hot when you add it to the spaghetti, otherwise you will lower the cooking temperature for the pasta.
- In a cast iron pan, add the olive oil, 2 garlic cloves (one whole one chopped), and red chili pepper according to how spicy you want your spaghetti to be. Cook the garlic over a high flame until golden then remove the whole garlic clove and pour in the ⅓ of undiluted tomato passata/purée. To temper the acidity from the tomatoes, you can add 1 tsp. sugar.
- Spread the passata over the whole pan with a wooden spoon and let it reduce and thicken slightly. At this point put the uncooked spaghetti in the pan, distributing the pasta a way that it lies on top of the sauce. NB the passata will spit when first poured into the pan so take care not to get burnt
- Wait for the underside of the spaghetti to start caramelizing before turning it over. This must be done carefully, a little at a time using a spatula. Let the otherside of the spaghetti start to crisp a little and then pour in a ladle of the hot tomato broth. It’s better not to pour it over the spaghetti but to add it to the sides of the pan.
- At this point the spaghetti should start to soften enough that you can move and stir it gently with a wooden spoon. Move any pasta strands that might have stuck to the bottom of the pan and allow the tomato broth to spread. Once the tomato broth has reduced and the spaghetti starts to stick a little again add more broth.
- Keep repeating this step (adding tomato broth and stirring the spaghetti) until the spaghetti is coated in the sauce and cooked. If you run out of tomato broth, you can add a little water. NB when finished, this dish is relatively dry and crispy, not saucy.
- I added cherry tomatoes which I had first sautéed in the iron pan before starting on the pasta. I removed them from the pan and then just added them back when my spaghetti all’assassina was ready. This step is optional.
- Serve your spaghetti all’assassina immediately topped with Parmigiano, stracciatella or just as is to keep it vegan.
Notes
- This recipe is vegan as written; adding traditional Parmigiano makes it non-vegetarian due to animal rennet—use vegetarian cheese if desired.
- Using fine spaghetti is preferred; bronze extruded pasta offers a different texture but is acceptable based on preference.
- Best prepared in a cast iron pan for authentic heat distribution and crust formation.
- Leftovers store 2-3 days refrigerated and reheat with olive oil and water added to prevent dryness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 533 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 533kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 70g | 23% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Sodium | 71mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 768mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 824IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 23mg | 26% |
| Calcium | 44mg | 4% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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