Serves: 4 | Time: 35 min
The authentic Spaghetti all’Assassina calls for the use of a heavy iron skillet. The Accademia dell’Assassina, a group of Italian culinary enthusiasts, founded in Bari in 2013, rules the preparation steps for the recipe. It is similar to “pasta risottata”, meaning pasta prepared risotto style. Spaghetti all’Assassina is spicy. Crushed red pepper or fresh chili peppers bring out the fire. You may not need all the tomato paste broth, keep it for another use.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450 g) dry spaghetti
- 4 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 1/2 cups (830 ml) water
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp red chili flakes or to taste
- 2 1/2 cups (590 ml) of tomato purée
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 cup (14 g) Italian parsley finely chopped, for garnish (optional)
- Parmesan
Preparation:
Begin by preparing the tomato broth. Dissolve the tomato paste and salt in the 3 1/2 cups (830 ml) of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. The broth should be bright red and flavorful. If not, add a bit more tomato paste and salt. Keep broth on a low simmer.
Heat the olive oil in an iron skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic begins to take color, about 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato purée. Stir and taste for salt and pepper. Bring to a brisk simmer.
Add the raw spaghetti to the skillet patting it down with a wooden spoon as to obtain a single layer. The goal is to have as much strands having contact with the bottom of the skillet. They should stick to it, brown and caramelize. Turn them over on the other side so that ” toasting ” is as even as possible. Do not be afraid of burning. This is the key to the flavor. Start adding the tomato paste broth by ladlefuls letting it absorb before adding the next one. Pour only enough broth to cover to barely cover the spaghetti. Do not stir too often. This process is similar to risotto. Continue cooking until spaghetti is “al dente” about 8-10 minutes and the sauce is clinging to the pasta showing some “toasting”. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley.
