To all spicy food lovers out there, these recipes are meant for you! The ‘Nduja sausage warms the heart and heats up the palate with its unique flavour. You can taste the red hot chilli pepper for sure, but it doesn’t have that fiery flavour that ends up burning your taste buds. Quite the contrary: ‘Nduja has a very deep and complex taste, since it contains many different meat cuts.

If you’re curious and want to learn more about how it is made, its story and traditions, you can discover all the secrets of ‘Nduja from Spilinga in this article. If you want to taste it, keep on reading.

Spicy pasta dishes

The ‘Nduja sausage has a soft consistency, making it ideal for enveloping and delightful sauces. Let it slowly melt over very low heat to make a truly special sauce.

Fileja alla tropeana 

Fileja is a traditional eggless fresh pasta from Calabria, especially the area near Vibo Valentia. This pasta looks more or less like giant Trofie, but it’s thicker and chubbier.

When we mention Tropea, onions come to mind, of course! The onion from Tropea is red, sweet and scented in its own special way. It’s the number one specialty from Tropea; it was awarded the PGI label and it is exported all over the world. This pasta dish is an actual flavour explosion. To create a fully local dish, let’s also add the incredible ‘Nduja sausage.

Let’s start with the mirepoix sauce base: a good amount of oil, onion from Tropea and ‘Nduja sausage; then, diced zucchini and aubergines, ripe red tomatoes and fresh basil. Drain the pasta a minute before the end of the cooking time and toss it in the pan with the veggies to make a creamy sauce.

Spaghetti with ‘Nduja and bread crumb

Pasta with ‘Nduja already tastes incredible, but if you add crunchy bread crumb, it gets a consistency that is to die for. If you wish to, you can also add some anchovy fillets and/or some grated Pecorino romano cheese at the end.

The recipe is very easy. Heat up a copious amount of oil in a pan, let the ‘Nduja sausage melt over very low heat and put aside. In another pan, let the anchovies melt with some olive oil and add the coarse bread crumbs.

Careful! Choose homemade coarse bread crumbs, rather than those ready-made breadcrumbs! It only takes a minute to make and it makes a huge difference. Stir often and once it’s golden, turn off the heat. In the meantime, cook the Spaghetti, drain it when it’s al dente and toss it with the ‘Nduja. 

Plate the food, add one tablespoon (or two) of crunchy bread crumbs and as much Pecorino romano cheese as you like. It’s ready!

Crazy good meat and fish dishes

‘Nduja is a sausage, but it is so special that it pairs amazingly well with meat dishes or even with fish!

Chicken breast roulades 

Chicken breast is probably the most boring meat and needs, therefore, some spicing up. What better way to do that than to add ‘Nduja for a flavour boost?

Open the chicken breast so it lays flat, place one slide of ‘Nduja on top, roll and secure with a toothpick. Then it’s time to bread and fry the roulade, so you will need, as per usual, flour, eggs and breadcrumbs. 

Take out a frying pan and when the oil boils, add the roulades little by little, so as not to decrease the oil temperature. Once they’re golden, drain them, blot with paper towels and serve hot.

Crunchy cod

Melted ‘Nduja in the pan makes for great sauces and sliced ‘Nduja makes for delicious fillings – let’s now use ‘Nduja for the breading.

In a bowl mix two teaspoons of ‘Nduja with two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil until the ‘Nduja dissolves, add 50g of breadcrumbs and mix well. Bread the cod fillets, making sure that the breading sticks well to the fish; then, place the fillets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake at 180 °C for 15 minutes and the spicy and crunchy cod is ready!

Pizza and focaccia flat bread

‘Nduja always tastes great in sandwiches, on flat breads, on pizza or on focaccia bread!

With buffalo Mozzarella from Campania or with Caciocavallo silano cheese?

In Southern Italy cheeses are mainly made with the pasta-filata technique. PDO Buffalo Mozzarella from Campania and Caciocavallo Silano, which also obtained the Italian PAT quality label (traditional agri-food product), are two great delicacies from Southern Italy.

Buffalo Mozzarella and its soft and milky flavour creates an amazing contrast with the strong taste of ‘Nduja. One advice: add the Mozzarella cheese after cooking, so that the dish doesn’t become too watery. Caciocavallo cheese has a more pungent flavour; it melts perfectly and pairs incredibly well with the ‘Nduja’s intense flavour.

What have we learnt so far? That, regardless of what you pair it with, ‘Nduja always tastes amazing: with pasta, with leavened products, with meat dishes or even with fish… This hot delicious ingredient is always welcome!