Spaghetti all'Assassina with Stracciatella

Imagine burning your pasta… and being glad you did. Created in Bari in the late 1960s, Spaghetti all’Assassina was born when spaghetti was accidentally left to crisp in a fiery tomato sauce.

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In collaboration with our friends Bottega Terra, purveyors of beautiful artisan ceramics from our birthplace in Puglia, the spaghetti is finished with cool, creamy Stracciatella for the perfect contrast. What makes this pasta unique is not only its charred, crispy edges, but the way it’s cooked “risottata” style, starting with dry pasta and gradually adding tomato broth as it cooks (like a risotto).

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500g Spaghetti
2 dried Chillies, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
500g Passata
250g Tomato Paste
150mL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt & freshly cracked Black Pepper, to season

1 × Stracciatella 250g

Start by making the tomato broth by bringing 1.5 litres of water to the boil in a pot. Stir in the tomato paste with a pinch of salt until fully dissolved. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

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In a large, heavy based pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and chilli, and cook for about 15-20 seconds, without burning. Lower the heat and pour in the passata. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally as the sauce begins to bubble and slightly reduce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat up to medium and lay the dry spaghetti flat in the pan, submerging it into the sauce as much as possible. Spoon the sauce over the pasta and allow it to cook for 4 minutes without touching. Turn the spaghetti over so the other side begins to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Now, in the same way that you would make a risotto, gradually add the tomato broth to the pan of spaghetti, allowing the pasta to absorb the liquid while it softens. The key is to avoid moving the pasta too much so it stays flat in the pan.

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Once the spaghetti begins to soften, gently stir and spread it around the pan, allowing parts of the pasta to colour and develop a little crispness. Taste the spaghetti for seasoning and doneness, and continue cooking until the pasta is al dente, with crispy, almost burned parts. We recommend you stop adding the tomato broth when the spaghetti is a couple minutes away from being ready to ensure the pan is dry enough for the spaghetti to crisp. Plate up into individual serving bowls and spoon a heaped tablespoon of Stracciatella over the top.

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