Ingredients:
Chili: 2 teaspoons of Blaze Well Chili Powder
The Pasta: 200g high-quality Spaghetti
The Base: 3 cloves of garlic (smashed), 100ml extra virgin olive oil, and 1/2 cup tomato purée The Broth: 1 liter water mixed with 3 tbsp tomato paste and a pinch of salt
1. Prepare the "Broth"
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the 1 liter of water and 3 tbsp of tomato paste. Add a pinch of salt and bring it to a low simmer. Keep this hot on the burner next to your skillet; adding cold liquid will stall the charring process.
2. The Infusion
Place your large skillet (ideally cast iron) over medium heat. Add the 100ml of extra virgin olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the 3 smashed garlic cloves and the 2 tsp of Blaze Well Chili Powder.
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Watch closely: Powder burns faster than flakes. Sauté just until the garlic is golden and the oil is a deep, fiery red.
3. Toasting the Pasta
Place the 200g of dry spaghetti directly into the red oil. Use tongs to turn the strands, coating them thoroughly. Let the dry noodles "fry" for about 1–2 minutes until they smell slightly nutty and some strands start to turn golden-brown.
4. The Tomato Base
Pour the 1/2 cup of tomato purée over the pasta. It will hiss and splatter—this is normal. Use a spatula to spread the purée. Let it cook down for 2 minutes until the purée thickens and begins to stick to the noodles.
5. The "Assassin" Technique (The Char)
Now, begin the risotto-style cycles:
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Add Liquid: Ladle enough of your hot tomato broth to just cover the pasta.
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The Wait: Do not stir. Let the liquid simmer away completely.
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The Sizzle: Once the water evaporates, you will hear the pasta start to fry in the remaining oil. Wait for about 30–60 seconds until the bottom layer of pasta begins to char and caramelize.
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Flip: Use a sturdy spatula to scrape the crispy, charred noodles from the bottom and flip them over.
6. Repeat and Finish
Add another ladle of broth and repeat Step 5. Continue this for about 10 minutes. Because you are using 200g of pasta, it will cook slightly faster than a full box.
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Taste a strand: It should be "croccante" (crunchy/firm) but not raw in the center.
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The final dish should have zero standing liquid. The spaghetti should be coated in a thick, spicy, oily glaze with plenty of blackened, crispy bits.
A Quick Note on the "Blaze"
Since you’re using a specific chili powder rather than flakes, the heat will be more "efficient." If you find the powder is darkening too quickly in Step 2, splash in a tiny bit of the broth early to drop the oil temperature and prevent the spices from turning bitter.
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