It’s 7PM. You’re home after a long workday.
You’re feeling like easy pasta. Not canned sauces pasta, because let’s be honest, they stink ; but quick and healthy-ish pasta.
Nduja Pasta is here for you ! Only 3 ingredients besides pasta are necessary here :
- quality canned tomatoes ;
- red onion ;
- and of course, Nduja!
Nduja is a spicy, spreadable pork sausage from Calabria, southern Italy. It’s made with pork, chili peppers, and spices, and has a soft, pâté-like texture. It’s often used on bread, pizza, pasta, or in sauces.
You don’t need to use much ; the tomato-ey flavour will dominate the flavour profile, with an added depth of taste from the nduja.
Here, I decided to go for slightly fancier Nduja pasta than the classic recipe, with an added condiment made of olives, red onion and basil, for more texture and umami ; but you can definitely skip it, as the classic recipe packs more than enough pleasure on its own.
Nduja Pasta – Recipe
Ingredients – Tips & where to find them
- Nduja: You can easily find it online, or at most Italian grocery stores. Pay attention to the level of spiciness indicated ; sometimes, it’s signaled as extra-hot!
- Basil: A really nice addition, but you can do without.
- Olive oil : As usual, try to use quality olive oil if you can, it’s extremely rewarding.
- Pecorino: Love to sprinkle some at the end, but it’s olive oil which is key here.
- Pasta: Don’t forget the Pasta 101 rule of using bronze-cut pasta, that cling to the sauce much better! The preferred type here would be fresh Fileja pasta, but dried Trofie works wonders -and so would most other short-shaped pasta.
Recipe – Advice & key points
- Nduja: I saw some recipes indicating to first roast the Nduja in olive oil, before adding tomato sauce. I once made it that way and the Nduja taste had almost fully disappeared by the end of the cooking. Adding it only 5 minutes before turning off the heat will alllow it to preserve its aromatics and distinctive spicy, smoky character. Don’t worry, it will melt right into the sauce.
- Olive, red onion & basil condiment : Optional, but I liked the addition of umami and texture. Skip it and it’ll be just as good ! Although I would still recommend a little basil addition.
- Other topping ideas : Feel free to have fun here ! A lovely and indulgent variation is adding stracciatella straight onto your plate. Yum.
All set ? Let’s cook some spicy pasta !
Nduja Pasta (spicy Calabrian pasta)
Description
Nduja pasta is one of the lesser-known pastas that has its roots in Calabria, southern Italy. As many authentic Italian recipes, it's as good as it is quick and easy !
Ingredients
For the Nduja pasta
For the olives topping (Optional)
Instructions
Start with your tomato sauce
Thinly mince your red onion.
To a pan on medium heat, add olive oil.
Add onion, a few basil leaves and a pinch of salt ; cook 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes crushed by hand.
Cook around 20 minutes on medium-low heat until thickened.
Pasta time
Meanwhile, bring a medium-large pot of water (4L water) to a boil.
Once boiling, add your salt, then your pasta.
Let it cook until slightly under al dente, tasting 2 minutes before the end of the theoretical package time.
Condiment time (optional !)
While your pasta boils, slice your olives in 4, mince some more red onion, and thinly slice your basil. Add your vinegar ; the condiment is ready !
Nduja time !
5 minutes before the end, add the Nduja straight in the tomato sauce. Let it melt.
Remove your pasta 1mn before they're ready, and add them to the sauce. Mix well for 1 minute.
If you're not using the whole sauce, set aside some of it before adding the pasta.Serve !
Serve, adding your olives topping, and/or Pecorino, or even some straciatella !
Et voilà !! You're done !