Nut House Cook and recipe thread

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Assassin Spaghetti






Assassin Spaghetti, also referred to as spaghetti all’assassina or killer spaghetti, is prepared by cooking spaghetti directly in a large skillet filled with spicy tomato sauce. The pasta becomes slightly charred and the sauce is mostly absorbed. With just a few common ingredients, you can try this unique and delicious way to cook pasta! So, skip the pot of boiling water next time. This might be your new favorite way to enjoy spaghetti! I also have a One Pot Spaghetti you may want to try.

What Is Assassin Spaghetti?
There are a few accounts as to why this recipe has a name like assassin or killer spaghetti. It is said to have originated in Bari, the capital of Italy’s Puglia region sometime in the late 1960’s. A chef had made some burnt spaghetti in a spicy red sauce. Whether he burned the spaghetti by mistake or not, it was a hit. But, it was really spicy, so that could be the reason behind the name, with spices that are ‘killing’ your taste buds it’s so hot. Or, it’s a ‘killer’ recipe, it’s so good. No matter the history, the dish became extremely popular and still is.

Ingredients & Substitutions
Before gathering the ingredients for the recipe, make sure you have a very large skillet, at least 14 inches in diameter. You want the spaghetti to fit in a mostly single layer in the skillet (a little overlap is okay).

Tomato Mixture: The tomato mixture that the spaghetti is pan-fried in is made with water, tomato sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. After heating the broth, keep it warm until adding it to the skillet with the spaghetti.

Garlic: Garlic is an important component of this spaghetti dish. I added 2 teaspoons of minced garlic to the oil with red pepper flakes.

Red Pepper Flakes: This dish is spicy! The more red pepper flakes (crushed red pepper) you add, the hotter it will be! You could also lessen the spice level by using fewer red pepper flakes. Or, if you can handle it, add more! (But, I would try it as-is first; each bite is pretty hot.)

Spaghetti: I used 12 ounces of spaghetti for this recipe. It will be pan-fried in the skillet with the tomato sauce. Hopefully, the skillet is large enough to hold whole pieces of spaghetti. But, if not, you could break the spaghetti in half.

Is Assassin Spaghetti Spicy?
Yes, this pasta dish does have a definite kick to it. For the taste testers who like spice, it was a good noticeable level of heat, but not too much. However, for those who are more sensitive to spicy foods, it was pretty hot! It is easy to adjust the heat level by adding fewer or more red pepper flakes.

How To Flip The Spaghetti
The trickiest part is flipping the spaghetti to let it become slightly charred on both sides (if spaghetti had sides, I guess). To flip over the layer of pasta, I used both a spatula and tongs. It may take a bit of manipulation to get it all flipped over. In addition, the amount of charring of the spaghetti is a personal preference, so watch it carefully.

How To Store Assassin Spaghetti
To store assassin spaghetti, first, let it cool to room temperature. Next, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to 3-4 days. Reheat the spaghetti on the stovetop in a skillet with a little extra oil, if needed. Or reheat it in the microwave.

Skillet of Assassin Spaghetti.


Assassin Spaghetti
PREP TIME
15MINUTES MINS
COOK TIME
15MINUTES MINS
TOTAL TIME
30MINUTES MINS
Assassin Spaghetti, also referred to as spaghetti all'assassina or killer spaghetti, is prepared by cooking spaghetti directly in a large skillet filled with spicy tomato sauce. The pasta becomes slightly charred and the sauce is mostly absorbed. With just a few common ingredients, you can try this unique and delicious way to cook pasta! So, skip the pot of boiling water and give this recipe a try! It might be your new favorite way to enjoy spaghetti!
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Ingredients
▢3 cups water
▢1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
▢1 teaspoon granulated sugar
▢1 teaspoon kosher salt
▢1 teaspoon black pepper
▢¼ cup (54.5 g) vegetable oil
▢2 teaspoons garlic, minced
▢1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
▢12 ounces spaghetti, uncooked
▢parsley, chopped for garnish

Instructions
To a medium saucepan over medium heat, add water, tomato sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Heat until the mixture is very hot, but not boiling. Reduce heat to low and keep warm as you continue with the recipe.
To a large (at least 14-inch), non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Carefully ladle 1 cup of the tomato mixture into the pan. Add the uncooked spaghetti in an even layer over the entire bottom of the skillet, ensuring all noodles are facing the same direction. Gently press the spaghetti into the tomato mixture to coat it.
Without disturbing the spaghetti, let it cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the tomato mixture is mostly reduced and the edges of the spaghetti start to char slightly.
Using a spatula and/or tongs, carefully flip over the spaghetti. Add another cup of the tomato mixture, gently pressing the noodles into the sauce. Cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until most of the tomato mixture is reduced.
Add the remaining tomato mixture. Continue cooking for 5-6 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, the edges are crispy and slightly charred, and the tomato mixture is mostly absorbed by the pasta.
Garnish with parsley. Serve warm.

Nutrition
Show Nutrition Info
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Keyword: Assassin Spaghetti
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 362
Author: Amanda Rettke–iamhomesteader.com
Did you make this recipe?

You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.

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Perfect pie crust today includes lard, which has returned to glory after years of bad publicity
Lard gives a 'flakiness to our pie crust,' says owner of Little Pie Co. in New York City

Lard was the canary in the coal mine of culinary correctness.

Rendered pig fat was ubiquitous in human diets for centuries. It was used to fry everything from dough to chicken and was an essential ingredient in pie making.

Lard tragically fell from public favor during the Great War on Monounsaturated Fats in the 20th century.



Progressive trans-fats activists launched a bombardment of bad publicity against animal fats starting in the 1950s, often culled from inaccurate sources.

Everybody loved lard in the 1960s — yet by the 1980s, nobody dared mention it.


Humanity's staple foodstuffs were soon caught in the crossfire: Salt, sugar, eggs, butter and wheat were all savaged as unhealthy over the years.

But the times they are a changin'.

Lard has enjoyed a rebirth in recent years thanks largely to a heroic band of pig-fat patriots who withstood the bad-news blitzkrieg.



Pie makers and pastry chefs never surrendered their right to keep and bear lard.

"The main reason we use lard is because of the flakiness that it gives to our pie crust," Arnold Wilkerson, the owner of Little Pie Co. in New York City, told Fox News Digital.


"We combine a ratio of lard with butter to get its flavor. So that’s the ideal combination of flakiness and flavor."

The Great War on Monounsaturated Fats claimed its most famous victim in 1990, when fast-food giant McDonald’s was forced to stop using delicious beef tallow to cook its fries.

"The main reason we use lard is because of the flakiness that it gives to our pie crust."
"In the last several decades, however, the tables have turned as health experts have come to new understandings about fat and heart health," food and cooking site Mashed.com reported.



The site added that "saturated fat from animal sources, including butter and lard, is not quite as bad for our health as previously thought."


Lard, an all-natural product, was often replaced by trans fats — many of which are manmade.

"Trans fat clogs arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and deaths," according to the World Health Organization, adding that "trans fat can be found in margarine, vegetable shortening .... and baked goods such as crackers, biscuits and pies."

(Crisco, by the way, notes on its website, "All Crisco shortening products now have 0g trans fat per serving for a more healthful option.")

Moderation remains the best advice, according to nutritionists.
Lard laughed in the face of culinary cancel culture and kale in 2020, when it landed at No. 8 (eight!) on the list of 100 of "the world's most nutritious foods" published by the BBC.



"A good source of B vitamins and minerals. Pork fat is more unsaturated and healthier than lamb or beef fat," the BBC reported, citing a survey conducted of 1,000 scientists.

The shocking spot in the Top 10 put lard ahead of the queens of greens: broccoli raab (No. 30), kale (No. 31) and fresh spinach (No. 45).

Moderation remains the best advice, New York nutritionist and author Lauren Harris-Pincus told Fox News Digital.


"Saturated fats are contributions to heart disease, particularly animal fats," said the author of "The Everything Easy Pre-Diabetes Cookbook."



"I would not advise anyone to add more saturated fats to their diets."

She also said, "A little bit of anything never killed anyone. So if you're trying to make the world's best pie crust and it takes a little lard — that's probably OK."