Yahoo Lifestyle The Italian Way to Make the Best One-Pot, No-Boil Spaghetti
One-pot meals are a thing of wonder, especially in the colder months when you need cozy food quickly. One of the most tried and true one-pot dishes is pasta. I often lean on one-pot mac and cheese, which is almost as quick to throw together as the stuff in the box. And when I crave a bit of Martha Stewart magic, I make her famous one-pan pasta for dinner.
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There are tons of one-pot pasta recipes out there, but few are as bold and fierce as one I learned about from one of my favorite pasta influencers, Nadia Caterina Munno, who is better known as the Pasta Queen. Her Spaghetti all’assassina (assassin spaghetti) is a spicy red sauce pasta dish that's made in one pot—and you don't even need to the spaghetti. Here's what you need to know about this easy pasta and how to add it to your weeknight recipe rotation.
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What Is Assassin Spaghetti (Spaghetti all'Assassina)?
According to The Pasta Queen, spaghetti all'assassina (which translates to assassin spaghetti) originated in Bari, Italy. The story goes that the dish was created when a drunk chef got distracted by a beautiful woman passing by. Legend has it that he was so distracted he accidentally burned the batch of pasta he had cooking. But instead of discarding it, the chef leaned into the charred flavor and crispy texture and added the pasta directly to the pasta sauce rather than boiling it first.
This technique of not boiling the pasta is what gives assassin spaghetti its signature smoky, crispy and deeply caramelized flavor. Over time, it became known as "Assassin's Spaghetti" because of its piercing, picante taste and the drama of its accidental creation.
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How to Make Assassin Spaghetti
To make this easy pasta dish, you need spaghetti, tomato purée, garlic, olive oil and crushed red chili flakes.
First, toast the uncooked spaghetti in a hot, pan with some olive oil until the noodles are slightly charred. Next, gradually add homemade or store-bought tomato sauce and season with chili flakes and garlic, allowing the pasta to absorb the liquid as it cooks. Stir the spaghetti occasionally to prevent sticking, letting the sauce caramelize and create crispy bits on the pasta. You'll know the spaghetti is done cooking when the pasta is tender but still has a slight al dente bite. Divide the spaghetti among bowls and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of parsley.
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More Easy Pasta Dishes to Make
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