Smokin' hot!

Nduja from Calabria

'Nduja (pronounced 'un-doo-ya) di Spilinga - A firey, smokey, soft spreadable salami which originates from the small town of Spilinga in the region of Calabria, in the deep South of Italy. 

In 2008, a stumble upon the roadside Trattoria da Mimma, in the Capo Vaticano area of Calabria, changed my life. Ok, well as far as food experiences go, the simple pasta dish I had at this trattoria had me craving it well after the holiday ended. To this date, I think this single food item forms one of the most memorable dishes I have eaten on all my travels. 

Ah, the joys of the simple things in life. Spicey and smokey, there is just something so addictive and moorish about the flavour. Fast forward a year or two later after my trip and I spot a Calabrian stand in London's Borough Market and I was ever so excited to see the 'nduja for sale here! It also started appearing on some pizza and pasta menus in London overtime.

It is apparently made with various parts of the pig that produce a high fat content, including belly, shoulder and jowl. The meat is ground very finely and then mixed with some salt, and ALOT of roasted and ground sweet and hot peppers (another region specialty). It is then stuffed back into the large intestine and smoked for about a week, then dried for three weeks or more. Then voila, you have this versatile ingredient, that can be spread on bread, eaten with cheese, mixed into pasta sauces and a whole host of other recipes that I can't wait to try!

For now though, it is best as a quick and simple pasta sauce.

My quick pasta alla'nduja e pomodori (Serves 2)

Ingredients
1. Enough pasta for two people (traditionally served with a long fusilli of the region, but linguine or whatever pasta you prefer is fine)
2. 1-2 tbsp of 'nduja to taste, depending on how much spice you can handle
3. Handful of cherry tomatoes
4. Salt and pepper to taste and basil to garnish

Method
1. Cook your pasta as you normally would
2. At the same time, in a little olive oil, throw in some cherry tomatoes and add the nduja to gently melt it. I prefer the cherry tomatoes still relatively fresh, so only cook these until the skin bursts. You could also use chopped tomatoes (tinned or fresh) if you prefer a more tomatoey flavour with just the hint of 'nduja.
3. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water and mix the pasta into the sauce. Add some of the liquid if the sauce is to dry. 
4. Salt and pepper to taste and garnish with basil if so desired. I have also seen it served with ricotta, so you could add a dollop of ricotta or other soft cheese when serving, to soften the flavour of the 'nduja - it will melt and mix into the sauce.
5. Enjoy!

Quick and tasty dinner - 'nduja with pasta

Trattoria Da Mimma - Capo Vaticano in 2008

Fusilli alla 'nduja - the original dish I had