America's Test Kitchen brings a joyful twist to pasta in a playful exploration of Spaghetti All’Assassina. This vibrant piece celebrates a seaside classic from Bari, Italy, showing how deliberate charring and a risotto-style method produce a spicy, crunchy, utterly addictive pasta. For anyone curious about bold flavors and unusual techniques—this is cooking, recipes, bon apetit at their best.
Why burn pasta on purpose?
Some foods are simply better with a little char: the socarrat on paella, the dark-rimmed edges of lasagna, or the extra-deep crust on rustic loaves. Spaghetti All’Assassina embraces that idea wholeheartedly. The noodles are cooked directly in a concentrated tomato broth until they soak up flavor, then left to sizzle in hot oil so that strands range from soft to al dente to crisply charred.
The result is a dish of contrasts—tangy, spicy, umami-rich strands with a thrilling mix of textures. It’s a happy-accident dish from the 1960s that became a local legend in Bari, where cooks transformed an accidental char into a menu star. Food lovers will recognize the deep satisfaction of crunchy, browned bits; this is pure cooking, recipes, bon apetit joy.
Key takeaways
- Spaghetti All’Assassina is cooked risotto-style: add small amounts of liquid repeatedly so the pasta absorbs flavor.
- Using passata (strained raw tomato) gives bright tomato flavor and a silky texture.
- The final high-heat sear creates complex flavors from Maillard browning and controlled charring (pyrolysis).
- Expect multiple textures in every bite—soft, chewy, and crunchy char.
- This dish breaks traditional pasta rules in the most delicious way.
Ingredients (simple and pantry-friendly)
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 cup passata (strained raw tomato puree) or tomato puree
- Tomato broth: water + tomato paste + pinch of sugar (see method)
- Salt
Why passata?
Passata is Italy’s uncooked strained tomato puree; it’s silky and bright, perfect when you want a fresh-tasting tomato backbone without the cooked-down flavors of canned crushed tomatoes. If passata isn’t available, tomato puree will work—expect a slightly deeper, cooked tomato taste.
The step-by-step method
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet and sauté minced garlic and red pepper flakes until the garlic is golden.
- Add 1 cup passata and a pinch of salt. Simmer over medium heat until it thickens and begins to sizzle at the edges.
- Lay 12 ounces of uncooked spaghetti into the skillet in an even layer. Increase heat to medium-high.
- Make a cup of tomato broth by whisking water, tomato paste, and a touch of sugar. Pour 1 cup into the skillet, letting the pasta absorb it little by little. Gently prod strands with a spatula so the liquid flows between them and prevents sticking.
- When the liquid is mostly absorbed and the pan sizzles around the edges, add another cup of broth and repeat. Continue this poco a poco (little by little) method until the pasta is mostly cooked but still firm.
- Flip and spread the noodles a couple of times with thin spatulas so they cook evenly.
- For the finale: crank the heat to high and let the spaghetti sizzle undisturbed for 3–5 minutes, giving the skillet just a swirl or two. Use your ears (sizzle intensifies) and nose (you’ll smell the char) to judge progress.
- Serve immediately—expect strands that are soft in places, al dente in others, and delightfully crisp and charred here and there.
The science behind the killer flavor
Cooking the pasta in increments like risotto (pasta risotata) hydrates and deeply seasons each strand while agitating them releases starch into the sauce. In risotto, that starch builds creaminess; in All’Assassina, that starch-laden sauce fries and browns, creating intense flavor from Maillard reactions and caramelization.
When the temperature gets higher, pyrolysis (the decomposition caused by heat) takes over and creates deeper roasted, tarry, smoky notes. In moderation these charred flavors add complexity and balance—like searing a steak or toasting a perfect crust—and combined with the varied textures they make every bite intriguing.
"That's actually five murders... that's like kind of a lot of murders." — a playful nod to how this dish breaks every conventional pasta rule.
Serving and variations
Serve plain to appreciate the spicy tomato-char interplay, or finish with grated Pecorino or a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. For more heat, add extra red pepper flakes or a splash of chili oil. Leftovers won’t capture the same crispness, so it’s best made and eaten right away.
Final thoughts
Spaghetti All’Assassina is an invitation to play with texture and heat. It deliberately breaks the rules—it’s risotto-meets-pasta and a little bit of controlled chaos—and the payoff is big: spicy, tomato-rich, chewy, crispy, and deeply satisfying. For adventurous home cooks, this recipe is a joyous example of cooking, recipes, bon apetit in action—bold flavors, simple ingredients, and a technique that makes every bite an adventure.
This article was created from the video The Pasta Dish You Burn on Purpose | What's Eating Dan? with the help of AI.
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