Con la 'Nduja
'Nduja from Spilinga melts directly into the pan. The fat runs orange, the chili is absolute, and the tomato is there to carry it — not to contain it.
Spilinga is a small town in the Vibo Valentia province of Calabria, and it is where 'nduja was developed into its current form: a spreadable, intensely spiced pork salami that functions as both ingredient and sauce. The pasta application is as direct as the product itself — the 'nduja goes in, melts, and becomes the sauce. The tomato follows.
Only a few ingredients
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A thin layer. Medium heat. The 'nduja will add fat of its own — you are only starting the garlic.
Garlic
Sliced thin, low heat. Golden before the 'nduja goes in. Brown garlic under 'nduja is lost.
'Nduja
A generous spoonful — more than you think. It melts into the oil in under a minute, turning the pan deep orange. Press it against the pan with a spoon and let it dissolve completely. This is the sauce.
be generousSan Marzano Tomatoes
Crushed by hand. They go in once the 'nduja has fully melted. High heat for the first few minutes, then lower it. Ten minutes is usually enough — the 'nduja is already cooked.
Basilico Genovese DOP
Torn in when the flame is off. The sweetness of the basil balances the heat. Optional, but it earns its place.
You do not need to add heat.
'Nduja arrives with its own — a full, fat-carried Calabrian chili burn that builds as you eat. Adding extra peperoncino is not wrong, but the 'nduja already contains more heat than most sauces would reach for. Taste the finished sauce before you reach for anything else.
Rigatoni
The ridges carry the spiced sauce. The standard pairing.
Spaghetti
A lighter result — the heat of the sauce against the clean pasta.
Ready to cook?
These sources we trust. Each one makes it correctly.
Other sauces from the same region
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