Assassin's Spaghetti, or Spaghetti all'Assassina, with Fresh Mozzarella Crema
This unconventional pasta preparation is a zesty one-pot meal, with the heat of the spicy tomato sauce tamed by the fresh mozzarella crema topping. You can omit the mozzarella crema topping for a vegan dish, or substitute a dollop of fresh ricotta or stracciatella cheese. It will serve four as a main course, or 6-8 in smaller first course or side dish portions.
Ingredients
Fresh Mozzarella Crema
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella
- ¼ cup half and half or heavy cream
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg, grated preferably freshly grated, but ground is ok
Spaghetti all'Assassina
- 4-5 cups water
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 16 oz dry spaghetti thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta also works
- ¼-⅓ cup olive oil
- 3-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or chopped
- 1-3 tsp red pepper flakes 1 tbsp/3 tsp makes a very spicy sauce
- 28 oz tomato passata or puree tomato sauce can be substituted
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
make the tomato "blood" broth:
- In a medium saucepot or microwave safe container, heat one quart of water to a low simmer, and dissolve the tomato paste in the water.
- You may need an additional cup of hot water to cook the pasta through, but start with four cups.
- Season with a pinch of salt, and keep hot.
saute spicy tomato sauce:
- In a large heavy iron saute pan or dutch oven, heat the olive oil until shimmering and lightly fragrant (don't burn the oil).
- Saute the red pepper flakes and sliced or chopped garlic, stirring or shaking the pan constantly for 30-45 seconds on high heat. I use a whole tablespoon of pepper flakes, but we like spicy food. You probably want to start with less if you aren't sure- you can always add more but you can't take them out!
- Add between ⅓ and ½ of the tomato passata/puree/sauce and the spoonful of sugar, and continue to stir and carefully shake the pan. You want to heat the sauce through and begin to caramelize it a bit. Keep the heat high and keep stirring the sauce or keep the pan moving.
fry the spaghetti:
- Add all of the spaghetti, pressing it into the bottom of the pan with your tongs or spatula. You want very high heat for this part, and a bit of finesse. You want to crisp the bottom of the pasta before stirring or flipping it, without burning it completely.
- This will take a bit of time, so be patient- if you stir it constantly you won't get the nice seared bits that add to the flavor and texture of the dish.
- When you have turned the pasta over and through the sauce several times, and the sauce is beginning to dry out, you can add the rest of the tomato passata around the edges of the pan, or anywhere the pan is beginning to burn.
slowly add the tomato broth:
- Once the sauce has thickened and the pasta is becoming pliable, begin gradually adding the simmering water/tomato paste broth. Ladle in a bit at a time around the edges, or onto hot-spots in the pan.
- Turn and stir the pasta as you add the liquid to the pan so that it rehydrates evenly. You can reduce the heat or adjust it if needed to keep it sizzling without burning or scorching too much.
- Taste the pasta as you incorporate the liquid. It will have a different mouthfeel than regular boiled spaghetti, but should still be tender and completely hydrated. Crispy outside is ok, but crunchy middles are not.
- I usually end up adding an additional cup or so of hot water after adding the full quart of tomato broth, but this can vary based on the thickness of your pasta, how much you reduce your tomato sauce, and how much liquid is in the passata or tomato sauce. You want the sauce nice and tight though, so don't make it too soupy! Just add a little bit at a time until it's perfect.
- Plate the pasta (twirl it on tongs or a carving fork , then transfer to a preheated bowl for a neat presentation). Top with a dollop of crema, a grating of Parmesan cheese, or a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes.
Mozzarella Crema (Faux Stracciatella)
- Tear or roughly chop the ball of mozzarella, or pulse it a few times in your food processor.
- Add the other ingredients (cream, parm, nutmeg) and continue to pulse until you have a spoonable mixture, but that still has discrete bits of curd and texture. You aren't making a smooth puree, so don't overmix.
- Refrigerate any leftovers promptly and use within 3-5 days. You can also freeze this, though the texture can be a bit grainy or watery when it thaws- it's best to make it fresh and use it up!
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate, and calculated using half and half in the mozzarella crema, and tomato puree.
Nutrition
Calories: 862kcalCarbohydrates: 112gProtein: 34gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 1265mgPotassium: 1383mgFiber: 8gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 1897IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 438mgIron: 6mg
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