Chef Angela Hartnett has shared a Pugliese pasta recipe that uses an unconventional technique: the pasta is cooked directly in the sauce, with no boiling required. The dish, spaghetti all'assassina, was prepared for Kasabian's Serge Pizzorno and podcast co-host Nick Grimshaw on the Dish from Waitrose podcast.
An unconventional cooking method
In a TikTok video posted in August, the Dish account captioned: "A Pugliese favourite with a slightly unconventional cooking method. Watch as Angela serves this fiery, crispy, crunchy and caramelised pasta dish to @nickgrimshaw and Serge, who can't get enough!"
Angela explained the technique: "The difference with this, rather than cooking your pasta in water and adding it to the sauce, you cook it in the sauce." Serge replied: "That is a maestro at work."
How the dish is made
Start with a pan, adding olive oil, garlic, and both varieties of chilli. Once they warm through and release their aroma, add the pasta to the pan. Then add tinned tomatoes. A separate stock is prepared by combining boiling water with tomato purée, which is gradually incorporated into the pan.
Angela continued: "The key is as well, is to let it cook in that tomato so it starts to go crispy. So, when you're eating it, you should have some soft bits of pasta, some little, even burnt bits of pasta. And so it should be crunchy, soft, a little bit spicy."
Recipe: Bucatini all'assassina with burrata & 'nduja crumb
Ingredients:
- Three tbsp tomato purée
- Three tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Two large cloves garlic, finely chopped
- One red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- One tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 300g Bucatini (or spaghetti or linguine)
- 400g can finely chopped tomatoes
- 285g pack Burrata, drained
For the crumb:
- 40g 'Nduja
- Four tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
- ¼ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
Method:
Place one litre of water and the tomato purée into a saucepan, bring to the boil, then take off the heat and leave to one side. Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy-based frying pan large enough to hold the full length of the pasta. Heat over a moderate temperature before introducing the garlic and fresh chilli, along with the flakes, if desired.
Allow to bubble gently before adding the uncooked pasta. Fry for approximately five minutes, or until lightly toasted, turning several times to ensure it is well coated in the oil and evenly cooked. Add the tinned tomatoes and a ladleful of the tomato water. Allow to simmer until the liquid has been fully absorbed and the tomato begins to catch on the base, then add another ladleful of the tomato water.
Continue this process until all the liquid has been absorbed, which should take approximately 20 minutes. Aim for a glossy sauce with some caramelised tomato, and pasta that is lightly crispy and toasted. Season to taste. While the pasta is cooking, heat the 'nduja in a separate frying pan without adding any additional oil, until it has softened and broken down. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until golden, then mix in the chopped parsley. Divide the pasta between bowls, tear over the burrata and scatter the 'nduja crumbs on top.
