Spaghetti all’assassina

“Killer” Spaghetti, the rule-breaking pasta from Bari

If you follow Italian food trends, you’ve probably heard of spaghetti all’assassina aka “Killer” Spaghetti. From its humble beginnings as a local favorite in Puglia’s capital city of Bari, the dish has morphed into an international hit among foodies in the past couple of years. I’m a bit late to the party, but before blogging about it, I wanted to try spaghetti all’assassina on its home turf. And so, dear readers, after my recent trip to Puglia, I can finally unveil my take on this modern classic.

This is a recipe that breaks all the rules about making pasta in the Italian manner. Rather than boiling the spaghetti in abundant well salted water and then dressing it with a sauce as usual, you begin by frying the raw pasta in a small bit of sauce until deeply caramelized, even a bit charred, on both sides. The caramelized pasta then simmers in a light tomato broth, which you add one ladleful at a time as if you were making risotto. The pasta is served ‘dry’, after it’s absorbed all the broth.

You could see spaghetti all’assassina as the ultimate example of a technique that’s been around for a while, called “pasta risottata” or pasta prepared as if it were a risotto. (For one example, see this post I wrote back in 2010.) But especially with its initial deep caramelization, this recipe take things to another level.

In any event, however iconoclastic it may be, the recipe works beautifully. Spaghetti all’assassina has an unusual yet appealingly crispy texture unlike any other Italian pasta I know of and, despite its saucelessness, intense flavor. That’s because the sauce is inside the pasta.

So if you haven’t tried it yet, now is your chance. Spaghetti all’assassina has become an international superstar for good reason, and it’s definitely worth getting to know.