Non-VegetarianCalabrese cuisine Main Course

Fileja con 'Nduja

Name: Fileja con 'Nduja
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Calabrese
Ingredients: 400 g fileja pasta; 100 g 'nduja (soft spreadable chilli salami); 1 medium tropea red onion; 400 g passata (sieved tomatoes); 30 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 5 g Fine sea salt; 40 g pecorino crotonese; 4 leaves Fresh basil

A classic Calabrian pasta dish of hand-rolled pasta spirals coated in a rich tomato sauce melted with fiery, spreadable 'nduja salame.

🇮🇹Italy· Calabria

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 580 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

400 g fileja pasta — dried or fresh traditional Calabrian spiral pasta
100 g 'nduja (soft spreadable chilli salami) — casing removed
1 medium tropea red onion — finely sliced
400 g passata (sieved tomatoes) — smooth, unflavoured tomato purée
30 ml Extra virgin olive oil — fruity Calabrian oil preferred
5 g Fine sea salt — for sauce and boiling water
40 g pecorino crotonese — finely grated, aged
4 leaves Fresh basil — torn

Equipment

•Large pasta pot
•Wide sauté pan
•Wooden spoon
•Colander
•Cheese grater

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 580 kcal
fat: 24 g
carbs: 74 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 18 g
calories: 580 kcal

Instructions

1
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide sauté pan over gentle heat.
2
Add the sliced red onion and cook for eight minutes until soft and translucent.
3
Add the 'nduja to the pan and break it apart with a wooden spoon until it melts into the oil.
4
Pour in the tomato passata and stir thoroughly to combine with the melted salame.
5
Simmer the sauce over low heat for fifteen minutes until rich, fragrant, and slightly thickened.
6
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season generously with salt.
7
Drop in the fileja pasta and cook until al dente, reserving one small cup of cooking water.
8
Drain the pasta and transfer it directly into the bubbling sauce.
9
Toss everything together over low heat for one minute, adding a splash of pasta water to emulsify.
10
Remove from the heat, stir through torn basil leaves, and scatter with grated Pecorino Crotonese.

Chef's tips

Melt the 'nduja over very low heat to prevent the chilli oils from scorching and turning bitter. Always reserve starchy pasta water to bind the fiery fat into the tomato sauce for a glossy finish.

Ingredient substitutions

fileja pasta → casarecce, strozzapreti, or fusilli lunghi
Pecorino Crotonese → aged Pecorino Romano or mature salted ricotta
Tropea red onion → sweet red onion or banana shallot

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a spoonful of water until piping hot.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Frying the 'nduja over high heat, which burns the chilli and ruins the delicate flavour
•Over-salting the tomato sauce before tasting, as the 'nduja already contains ample salt
•Draining the pasta completely dry without using the starchy cooking water to bind the sauce

Serving suggestions

Serve hot in warmed wide pasta bowls with extra grated Pecorino Crotonese on the sideAccompany with thick slices of rustic durum wheat bread to mop up the spicy saucePair with a full-bodied Calabrian red wine such as Cirò Rosso Classico