Why this tastes so incredible
This isn’t saucy pasta. It’s concentrated, smoky, and intense.
The tomato paste caramelizes directly in olive oil until deep brick red, creating a slightly bitter, almost roasted edge. The spaghetti cooks straight in the pan, absorbing spicy tomato broth while the bottom layer fries and chars. You get:
- Crispy toasted strands
- Tender sauced strands
- Deep chili heat
- Concentrated tomato sweetness
- Slight smoky bitterness from caramelization
If you love bold pasta like I do — the kind that tastes dramatic and unforgettable — this is one you make when you want to impress people who think they’ve tried everything.
It’s rustic. It’s fiery. It’s wildly satisfying.
What is Killer Spaghetti?
In the old streets of Bari, in Italy’s sun-drenched Puglia region, this pasta was never meant to be delicate. Spaghetti all’Assassina was born in the 1960s inside a small restaurant kitchen where the cook accidentally let tomato sauce catch and caramelize in the pan. Instead of throwing it away, they leaned into it — cooking the spaghetti directly in that fiery base until it absorbed the sauce and developed those now-iconic charred edges.
The name “Assassin’s Spaghetti” comes from its heat and intensity — spicy, smoky, and unapologetically bold. It stayed a local Bari specialty for decades before gaining wider attention when Stanley Tucci featured it during his travels through Puglia. But long before television cameras arrived, locals were already fiercely proud of this rebellious, crispy-bottomed pasta.
It’s not a gentle sauce-and-toss dish. It’s meant to sizzle. To stick. To surprise you.
Servings & Timings
Yield: 4 generous servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
Total Time: 35–40 minutes
Equipment:
- Large cast iron or heavy stainless steel skillet (12-inch minimum)
- Saucepan for tomato broth
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
- Measuring cups and spoons
Estimated Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: ~420
Carbohydrates: 65g
Fat: 14g
Protein: 11g
Nutrition values are estimates and will vary based on ingredient brands and portion size.
What You’ll Need
12 ounces dry spaghetti
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (authentic heat level)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups tomato passata (smooth strained tomatoes)
2 cups water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Optional: extra red pepper flakes for garnish
Pro Tips
- Use cast iron if possible. It helps create the signature caramelized crust.
- Do not stir constantly. Let it stick slightly. That’s the point.
- Keep the broth hot in a separate saucepan so you don’t cool the pan down when adding liquid.
- Rotate the pasta gently with tongs instead of aggressively stirring.
- Don’t fear dark spots — fear pale pasta. Deep red is flavor.
Instructions
Step 1: Heat the Tomato Broth
In a saucepan, combine:
- 2 cups tomato passata
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Step 2: Build the Base
Heat in a large skillet:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Add:
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
Stir in:
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
Step 3: Add the Dry Spaghetti
Place 12 ounces dry spaghetti directly into the skillet on top of the tomato base.
Let it toast slightly for 1–2 minutes before adding liquid.
Step 4: Begin the Assassin Method
Add 1–2 ladles of hot tomato broth over the pasta.
Let it absorb before adding more.
Continue adding broth gradually, turning pasta occasionally with tongs. Allow the bottom layer to caramelize and lightly char before loosening and flipping.
Cook 12–15 minutes total until pasta is tender but deeply red with crispy edges.
Step 5: Finish & Crisp
Increase heat slightly for the final 1–2 minutes to encourage light charring on the bottom.
Do not stir — let it sizzle.
Serve immediately.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use fresh crushed tomatoes instead of passata (smoother finish with passata)
- Add a small pinch of sugar if tomatoes are very acidic
- Add finely diced fresh chili instead of flakes
- Garnish with chopped parsley for contrast
Authentic versions do not include cheese – but if you like to add some go for it.
Leftovers & Storage
Best eaten immediately.
If storing:
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Reheat in a skillet to restore some crisp texture
- Avoid microwaving if possible
This is one of those dishes that feels rebellious and rustic at the same time.
It’s not polite pasta.
It’s bold, spicy, slightly smoky — and completely unforgettable.
When you make it, I’d love to know — did you let it char properly, or did you panic and stir too soon?
Crispy, Fiery Killer Spaghetti (Authentic Spaghetti all’Assassina)
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a saucepan, combine:
- 2 cups tomato passata
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Heat in a large skillet:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Add:
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Stir in:
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
Step 3: Add the Dry Spaghetti
- Place 12 ounces dry spaghetti directly into the skillet on top of the tomato base.
- Let it toast slightly for 1–2 minutes before adding liquid.
- Add 1–2 ladles of hot tomato broth over the pasta.
- Let it absorb before adding more.
- Continue adding broth gradually, turning pasta occasionally with tongs. Allow the bottom layer to caramelize and lightly char before loosening and flipping.
- Cook 12–15 minutes total until pasta is tender but deeply red with crispy edges.
- Increase heat slightly for the final 1–2 minutes to encourage light charring on the bottom.
- Do not stir — let it sizzle.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
Substitutions & Variations
- Use fresh crushed tomatoes instead of passata (smoother finish with passata)
- Add a small pinch of sugar if tomatoes are very acidic
- Add finely diced fresh chili instead of flakes
- Garnish with chopped parsley for contrast
- Authentic versions do not include cheese – but if you like to add some go for it.
Leftovers & Storage
- Best eaten immediately.
- If storing:
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Reheat in a skillet to restore some crisp texture
- Avoid microwaving if possible
- If storing:
