Spaghetti All'assassina

This one is just for me. It is spicy, fussy, and the yield is small. But it’s also very special. If you’re reading this, it deserves a bit of story.

One of the very first things I ever cooked and called my own was “hot pasta,” literally just spaghetti with sauce from a jar to which I had added a bunch of dried cayenne. Fast forward about 13 years, and the algorithm on some social media site or other decided to feed me a video of someone making this recipe, spaghetti all’assassina. Originating in Bari, Italy (near the heel of the boot), this recipe involved deliberately charring the pasta and looked like the spiciest, savoriest, best dang version of pasta and tomato sauce I could imagine. I realized that this was the hot pasta I had wanted to be making all along.

So I set about trying to make it. I tried 4-5 different recipes to varying degrees of success, all leaving me wanting. The recipe below is a hybrid of several, the result of a lot of trial and even more error. it takes some nerve, but the good news is that even if you screw it up this dish still tends to be delicious.

NOTE: This recipe requires a 14” or larger pan. If you don’t have one, break your spaghetti in half, and then hide your face in shame. Not recommended. Also, stainless steel or enameled cast iron works best. Avoid nonstick - we want it to stick!! If you have to choose between the right size and the right material, go for the right material.

30 minutes

serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side

  • 1 quart of water, moderately salted (i.e. not unpleasant to taste)

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil

  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste

  • 2 Tsp. red chili flake (the dish is meant to be spicy, but you can use less if desired)

  • 1/2 Lb. (8 Oz.) spaghetti (bronze dye cut is important)

  • 14 Oz. (1 bottle) Passatta (plain tomato sauce)

To serve:

  • juice of 1/2 lemon

  • 1 burrata, divided into segments

  1. In a small saucepan, bring the salted water to a boil, then reduce heat.

  2. In a separate, large pan (14” or more), heat the olive oil on medium high till shimmering. Add the garlic, tomato paste and chili flake, mixing and spreading aroud until fragrant, 20-30 seconds. Add the dry pasta directly on top of the oil mixture, spreading to cover as much surface as possible.

  3. Pour in about 1/4 of the passatta, and just enough of the hot salted water to cover the pasta in the pan. Spread the passatta as needed but do not disturb the pasta. Wait for the sound of simmering (hot water) to turn into sizzling (hot oil), then wait 30 more seconds.

  4. Use a fish turner or hard spatula to flip the sheet of pasta over in chunks.The pasta should look charred and blackened in spots. Scrape up any charred bits as you go.

  5. Repeat seps 3-4 until the pasta reaches desired doneness, allowing more char as you go. Note: you may not use all the passatta or water. That is ok. The pasta is cooked when it’s cooked.

  6. Taste for salt, adding more if desired, then transfer to bowls and serve immidiately with a small squeeze of lemon and the portioned burrata.

Practical Pad Thai

From Josh

I’ve eaten a lot of pad thai over the years, and I have learned two things: 1. It is a LOT of work to make it the way restaurants do and 2. Restaurants almost always make it too sweet. This recipe seeks to rectify both of these things.

However, pad thai is still a bit of a “technique” recipe, and although this comes together quickly, it has a lot of ingredients and may take a few tries to get it right. But trust me, it’s well worth the effort.

To set expectations: You will spend 80% of this recipe on prep, and 20% actually cooking. It is very important that you get all of the ingredients prepared and on hand near the stove before you turn on the heat. I also highly recommend you read the whole recipe first.

Serves 2

1 hour

  • 1/4 cup neutral oil, divided (4 tbsps)

  • 1/3 Lb of dry rice noodles - medium thin

  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar

  • 2 Tbsp fish sauce + a bit more

  • 2 Tbsp water

  • 1.5 Tbsp white vinegar*

  • white pepper

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 large or 3 medium shallots, finely chopped

  • 3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped (no need to take it to minced)

  • 1/2 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thigh, thinly sliced**

  • 1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, divided

  • 4 whole scallions, cut into 1-inch segments, white and green parts divided

To Serve:

  • Lime segments

  • fresh bean sprouts (optional)

  • 1/2 the chopped peanut

  • red chili flakes

  1. Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with the hottest water you can get from the tap. Set aside and allow to soak until very pliable and nearly cooked. Prepare other ingredients as noodles soften.

  2. In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar and fish sauce, stirring just until the brown sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and add to a small bowl with the water and vinegar. This is important: Taste the sauce - it should be sour, salty and sweet; no one flavor should dominate. Adjust in small increments as needed.

  3. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with a dash of fish sauce and a pinch of white pepper

  4. Prep the remainder of the ingredients, then arrange them all in small bowls near the stove as follows: The eggs, the protein, the garlic with the shallots and scallion whites, the noodles (strained once ready), and the sauce. Place the scallion greens and 1/2 the peanuts in a LARGE bowl.

  5. Heat a large pan or wok over high heat with 1 Tbsp of the oil. when shimmering, add the egg and spread around the pan until just cooked. It will take seconds. chop roughly with spatula and put in the large bowl with the peanuts and scallion greens.

  6. Add another tablespoon of oil, and cook the protein. Shrimp cooks fastest - 25 seconds a side unless very large. Give chicken a minute a side, and firm tofu as long as it needs to get some browning. Once cooked, add to large bowl with the egg/peanut mixture.

  7. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, followed by the garlic, shallot, and scallion whites. Stir for about 15 seconds, then add the rice noodles, stirring to combine. Add the contents of the large bowl, then add the sauce around the SIDES of the pan, so it hits the metal directly and sears. Stir vigorously to combine.

  8. As soon as the sauce is well combined, turn off the heat. check to make sure the noodles are cooked through, and taste for salt, adding more fish sauce as desired. If the noodles are still rubbery, add 2 Tbsps of water and return the heat to high, stirring vigorously.

  9. As soon as noodles are fully cooked, transfer all contents directly to the large bowl and serve immediately with lime wedges, chili flakes, the remaining peanuts and optional beansprouts to taste.

* Note: Authentic pad thai uses 4 tbsp sour tamarind pulp instead of white vinegar. If you’re making this on a weekend and want to really take it up a notch, buy a pack of sour tamarind pods (available at many larger groceries and all international groceries) and make tamarind pulp. Or, if you have a good asian grocery nearby, seek out pre-prepared tamarind puree (sometimes called tamarind concentrate) and use a little less. Do NOT buy anything made in India. It’s different and REALLY strong.

** Note: OR 1/2 pound de-veined, tail on raw shrimp OR 1/2 pound very firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2 cubes. All are great.