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This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Charred Red Sauce Spaghetti (Spaghetti all’Assassina)

4 to 6 Servings

30 minutes

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This is our method for making spaghetti all’assassina—or killer’s spaghetti—a unique dish from Bari, Italy, in which the pasta is cooked start to finish in a skillet. A warm tomato broth is added to the noodles a little at a time, much like the classic technique for risotto. We cook pasta, undisturbed, in an even layer so it chars and crisps, adding texture and flavor. The finished dish is dryish, but pleasantly so, and deliciously intense in flavor, with tasty, crunchy-chewy bits akin to the edges of a baked lasagna. A few things of note: Basic brands of spaghetti, such as Barilla, work best for this, not high-end pastas with a rough, floury appearance, as they tend to release a large amount of starch during cooking. Second, for controlled charring, make sure to use a heavyweight nonstick 12-inch skillet that conducts heat evenly. Lastly, the spaghetti strands must all be parallel when they go into the pan and they remain that way, more or less, throughout cooking.

4 to 6

Servings

Tip

Don’t try to squeeze 1 pound of pasta into the skillet. It’s too much for the amount of sauce and will crowd the pan. Also, don’t stir the pasta as it simmers. Undisturbed cooking with only two flips allows the spaghetti to develop crispness and deep, flavorful charring.

30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1

    14½-ounce can tomato puree (1½ cups)

  • 3

    cups boiling water

Directions

Reviews
CHRISTOPHER W.
November 2, 2025
Tough to make
I made this last year and it turned out good. This time the pasta was still crunchy, not fully cooked. Next time I'll use my really bi g7 quart Hexclad saute pan as my 12 inch had issues getting it all flat with sloped sides.
Kevin L.
September 16, 2025
Our favorite pasta dish
I made this dish for my wife and myself. We ate the entire dish. A great depth of flavor and nice spice level from the use of the red pepper flakes. This right at the top of favorite ways to make spaghetti.
Mary D.
February 2, 2025
Texture and flavor are amazing
The texture is so interesting. Chewy, crunchy and pleasantly dry. The flavor has so much depth. Nothing like a marinara sauce. Each strand of spaghettis is infused with the flavor.
Chris W.
June 13, 2024
Impossible to flip after a while
I love this, added some real chilies and it's impossible to flip after the 3-4 one w/o it bending and not flipping. There has to be an easier way? Can anyone offer advice on how to flip limp pasta?????
Jeffrey C.
May 17, 2024
Surprisingly complex
I saw this dish being cooked on social media and was intrigued. I was pleasantly surprised that the cooking method worked out as expected. The final product was surprisingly complex for such a simple dish. I'll be making again.

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