Italian
Pasta with 'Nduja and Friggitelli
A rich and flavourful pasta from Calabria, combining the spicy spreadable salami 'nduja with sweet Tropea onions and crunchy friggitelli peppers, finished with melted caciocavallo silano cheese and fresh basil.
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
10 items- FriggitelliSeeds removed and sliced
- 2 pcsTropea Red OnionSmall onions, sliced
- Extra Virgin Olive OilA generous drizzle
- 1 pcsGarlic(optional) — Clove, optional
- Cherry TomatoesCherry tomatoes, or crushed peeled tomatoes in winter
- SaltTo taste
- PastaAny short pasta, about 350 g for 4 servings
- 'NdujaA generous piece, added at the end
- Caciocavallo Silano DOPDiced small
- Fresh BasilFor garnish
Method
- Prepare the friggitelli: press each pepper to remove the seeds, then slice thinly.
- Clean and slice the Tropea red onions into thin strips.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions gently until softened.
- Add a clove of garlic (optional) and cook briefly.
- Add cherry tomatoes (or crushed peeled tomatoes in winter), crushing them lightly with a spoon.
- Add the sliced friggitelli, season with salt, and cook for a few minutes until the peppers are tender but still crunchy.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente (about 12-15 minutes).
- Just before draining the pasta, add a generous piece of 'nduja to the sauce and stir until melted into the vegetables. Do not cook the 'nduja for long.
- Dice the caciocavallo silano cheese into small cubes.
- Drain the pasta, reserving some pasta water. Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce, then add the diced caciocavallo. Toss well, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to create a creamy emulsion.
- Serve immediately with fresh basil leaves.