Spaghetti all'Assassina: Crispy & Spicy

Super viral and super delicious; spaghetti all'assassina is a must try. Spaghetti all'assassina, also known as 'burnt spaghetti' (spaghetti bruciati), is a unique dish from Bari, Apulia. Unlike traditional pasta recipes, this dish skips the boiling process. Instead, the spaghetti is cooked directly in a pan, traditionally cast iron, with a gradually added broth made from diluted tomato sauce. The result? A deliciously crispy, browned texture that sets it apart from any other pasta.

A Slice of History

This fiery dish likely made its debut on restaurant menus in the late 1960s or early 1970s, with its origins traced back to Bari. While some believe it was first served at the now-closed Marc'Aurelio restaurant, others credit the creation to Al Sorso Preferito, where it remains a staple to this day.

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients

• 300g dried spaghetti
• Olive oil, for frying
• 6 cloves garlic, sliced
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 large can high-quality tomato sauce
• 600ml water (twice the amount of tomato sauce)
• Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
• IL MIG+ hot sauce, to taste

Recipe

1. Fry the Garlic: In a large pan, fry sliced garlic and black pepper in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden brown.
2. Prepare the Tomato Broth: Add the tomato sauce to the garlic and pepper, then fill the tomato jar with water twice and add it to the pan to create a 1:2 tomato to water ratio. Keep the tomato mixture warm.
3. Toast the Spaghetti: In a non-stick pan, heat olive oil with some black pepper. Once hot, add dried spaghetti noodles directly to the pan.
4. Cook the Spaghetti: Slowly ladle the warm tomato broth over the spaghetti, allowing the noodles to absorb the liquid. Add IL MIG+ hot sauce to taste. Keep stirring and adding sauce as the spaghetti cooks through.
5. Char the Noodles: Continue cooking until the noodles are fully cooked and some bits at the bottom have charred slightly for extra crunch.
6. Serve: Plate the noodles and top with grated Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve immediately.