Nduja Pasta - Spicy Calabrian Pasta the Way Italians Make It
At first glance, this Nduja Pasta looks like a simple tomato and basil sauce, but do not let appearances fool you. Hidden inside that rich red sauce is a generous amount of spicy nduja that melts into the olive oil, onion, and passata to create a bold Calabrian pasta packed with flavor.The sweet red onion balances the heat beautifully, while the nduja delivers a slow-building kick that lingers with every bite. The creamy sauce clings to every piece of al dente rigatoni, filling the tubes with spicy tomato richness and creating the perfect balance of sweet, savoury, and fiery flavours.What I love most about this recipe is how such a small number of ingredients can create something so satisfying. With just onion, nduja, passata, fresh basil, pecorino, and good pasta, you get a rich and comforting dish that tastes like it has been cooking all day.
Servings 4
Equipment
- Chopping-board
- Large fry pan
- wooden spoon
- Mug
- large pot
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 1/2 red onion
- Nduja spread
- 1 packet rigatoni pasta
- 1 bottle homemade passata
- Pecorino Romano
- A bunch of fresh basil
- Extra virgin olive oil EVOO
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Peel the red onion and cut it into small chunks.
- Place a large pan over medium-low heat and add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, about 10 tablespoons.
- Let the onion cook gently for about 7 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon until it softens and becomes golden brown. Add a splash of water to prevent it from burning and keep stirring.
- Squeeze the nduja from its casing then add it directly into the pan. Reseal any leftover nduja and save it for another recipe. Stir continuously until the nduja melts into the onion and olive oil.
- Pour in the bottle of passata, stir well, and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Cook over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour for a richer, deeper flavour.
- Season with a touch of salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of rock salt. Cook the rigatoni according to the packet instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking together.
- Turn off the heat under the sauce. Tear the fresh basil leaves by hand and stir them through the sauce.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Using a strainer, transfer the rigatoni directly into the sauce, allowing a little pasta water to come across with it.
- Toss everything together using a wooden spoon. Add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it coat every piece of pasta.
- Add the Pecorino Romano and continue tossing until the cheese melts into the sauce and becomes beautifully creamy.