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Spaghetti all'Assassina

Puglia · No.36 / 103

Spaghetti all'Assassina

Spaghetti all'Assassina, 4 ways

The pasta is never pre-boiled: it's seared raw, directly in a cast-iron pan, in a tomato broth until parts of it char. It's a relatively recent regional dish, invented in 1967 by a cook in Bari, and the main forks are how concentrated the broth is and how it's topped up, and how far you let the char go.

Pasta Grammar Max Mariola Adam Ragusea Vincenzo's Plate
25 min · Difficulty ●●●○○ · 4videos

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Pasta GrammarA husband-and-wife channel: Eva, from Calabria, Italy, and Harper, from the US Source verified

A faithful recreation of Bari's traditional technique

  • No pork or bacon at all — the base is just olive oil, garlic, and chili
  • Deliberately recommends cheaper dry pasta, saying lower-quality spaghetti actually works better
  • No cheese and no black pepper — the finish rests entirely on char and chili heat
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In the chef’s words
  • This dish is also called "spaghetti bruciati" (burnt spaghetti) source

References: [1]

Max MariolaRome-born professional chef and TV personality (Gambero Rosso Channel). In 2026 he moved with his family to Bali, Indonesia, and handed over all but one of his restaurants Source verified

A Roman chef's respectful take on the Bari classic

  • Uses grated garlic — unusual when sliced or minced garlic is the norm elsewhere
  • Prepares an aromatic broth (with basil and parsley) in a separate pot as a prep step
  • Suggests a finishing pairing of pecorino with a Puglian red wine
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In the chef’s words
  • Pays respect to Bari's tradition while adding his own personal finishing touch source

References: [1]

Adam RaguseaFormer journalism professor, food-science-oriented YouTube channel Source verified

A vegan reinterpretation swapping chili for jalapeño

  • The only variant using fresh jalapeño and serrano chilis instead of dried chili flakes
  • Purees fresh grape tomatoes himself rather than using canned tomatoes or passata
  • Notes on camera that the dish ends up vegan since it uses no cheese
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In the chef’s words
  • Thinks a nonstick pan gives better results than cast iron source
  • Realized this recipe ends up being a vegan dish source

References: [1]

Compared on 9 axes

Figures are transcribed as written in each video or recipe page

AXIS Pasta Grammar Max Mariola Adam Ragusea Vincenzo's Plate
Pasta and pre-boiling Dry pasta, no pre-boil (recommends a 6-8 minute al dente quality)Dry pasta, no pre-boil227g dry pasta, ideally not bronze-cut, no pre-boil300g dry pasta (serves 2), no pre-boil
Type and concentration of tomato 1 1/8 cups tomato puree + 1 tbsp tomato paste (diluted with 3 cups water)Passata di pomodoro + concentrated tomato paste283g fresh grape/cherry tomatoes, pureed and diluted with waterTomato concentrate (dissolved in water) + half a jar of passata
Type of pan Cast-iron pan (Puglian tradition)Iron pan (pentola in ferro)Nonstick (his recommendation) or well-seasoned cast ironHeavy cast-iron or stainless pan (no nonstick)
Handling of garlic 2 cloves (1 whole, 1 minced)Grated garlic, cooked low and slow5-6 cloves, roughly chopped2 minced cloves, 20 seconds on high heat
Type and amount of chili Red chili flakes, to tasteRed chili, generous2 fresh jalapeños (not chili flakes)1-2 thinly sliced red chilis
How the broth is added Add one ladle at a time, waiting for evaporation between additionsHot broth ladled in gradually, loosened with a wooden spoonAdded a quarter at a time, alternating evaporation and searingAdded in small amounts several times, absorbed into the pasta
Target level of char Flip once it starts charring. Total cook time 20-30 minutesLight charring once the pasta starts sticking (no time specified)Until most moisture evaporates and the bottom noodles fry and brownTotal cook time 8-10 minutes. A black charred layer at the bottom is normal
Finish Olive oil only. No cheese or black pepperTopped with pecorino, paired with red wine (Susumaniello)Basil folded in, served with pickled serrano chilis (no cheese)Finishing oil, black pepper, and stracciatella cheese
Time required 20-30 minutesNot specified (the video runs about 15 minutes total)Not specified8-10 minutes (pan cooking only, excluding broth prep)
Source check Source verifiedSource verifiedSource verifiedSource verified
Pasta Grammar A faithful recreation of Bari's traditional technique
Pasta and pre-boiling
Dry pasta, no pre-boil (recommends a 6-8 minute al dente quality)
Type and concentration of tomato
1 1/8 cups tomato puree + 1 tbsp tomato paste (diluted with 3 cups water)
Type of pan
Cast-iron pan (Puglian tradition)
Handling of garlic
2 cloves (1 whole, 1 minced)
Type and amount of chili
Red chili flakes, to taste
How the broth is added
Add one ladle at a time, waiting for evaporation between additions
Target level of char
Flip once it starts charring. Total cook time 20-30 minutes
Finish
Olive oil only. No cheese or black pepper
Time required
20-30 minutes
Source
Source verified
Max Mariola A Roman chef's respectful take on the Bari classic
Pasta and pre-boiling
Dry pasta, no pre-boil
Type and concentration of tomato
Passata di pomodoro + concentrated tomato paste
Type of pan
Iron pan (pentola in ferro)
Handling of garlic
Grated garlic, cooked low and slow
Type and amount of chili
Red chili, generous
How the broth is added
Hot broth ladled in gradually, loosened with a wooden spoon
Target level of char
Light charring once the pasta starts sticking (no time specified)
Finish
Topped with pecorino, paired with red wine (Susumaniello)
Time required
Not specified (the video runs about 15 minutes total)
Source
Source verified
Adam Ragusea A vegan reinterpretation swapping chili for jalapeño
Pasta and pre-boiling
227g dry pasta, ideally not bronze-cut, no pre-boil
Type and concentration of tomato
283g fresh grape/cherry tomatoes, pureed and diluted with water
Type of pan
Nonstick (his recommendation) or well-seasoned cast iron
Handling of garlic
5-6 cloves, roughly chopped
Type and amount of chili
2 fresh jalapeños (not chili flakes)
How the broth is added
Added a quarter at a time, alternating evaporation and searing
Target level of char
Until most moisture evaporates and the bottom noodles fry and brown
Finish
Basil folded in, served with pickled serrano chilis (no cheese)
Time required
Not specified
Source
Source verified
Vincenzo's Plate A modern finish topped with stracciatella
Pasta and pre-boiling
300g dry pasta (serves 2), no pre-boil
Type and concentration of tomato
Tomato concentrate (dissolved in water) + half a jar of passata
Type of pan
Heavy cast-iron or stainless pan (no nonstick)
Handling of garlic
2 minced cloves, 20 seconds on high heat
Type and amount of chili
1-2 thinly sliced red chilis
How the broth is added
Added in small amounts several times, absorbed into the pasta
Target level of char
Total cook time 8-10 minutes. A black charred layer at the bottom is normal
Finish
Finishing oil, black pepper, and stracciatella cheese
Time required
8-10 minutes (pan cooking only, excluding broth prep)
Source
Source verified

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1 Pasta & boiling Brand, thickness, salt, water volume, cooking time
2 Base Fat and the main ingredient: rendering, infusing
3 Sauce & emulsion Where you toss, heat level, how much pasta water
4 Finish Cheese, pepper, finishing oil, plating

The map of schools: where the heat is managed

For Spaghetti all'Assassina, the fork in the road is how you emulsify and heat

Toss over direct heat

The pan stays on the flame and your hands manage the temperature. Fast, but it takes feel.

Indirect heat

Bain-marie, steam, double boiler or a hand blender. Repeatable, at the cost of one extra step.

  • No styles here

Off the heat

Emulsify after killing the flame, or in a bowl with only the pasta’s residual heat. Hard to get wrong.

  • No styles here
Total timeActual values from 3 styles. Equal values stack vertically
7.6 min13.8 min20 min26.2 min32.4 minVincenzo's Plate: 8-10 minutes (pan cooking only, excluding broth prep)VPMax Mariola: Not specified (the video runs about 15 minutes total)MMPasta Grammar: 20-30 minutesES

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