I’ve recently learned some interesting stuff about my family history. I’ve known for a long time that I’m Italian on my father’s side, but I discovered that that side of the family hails from Calabria. I enjoy Italian food in general, and reading up on Calabrian cuisine I found out about 'nduja - a spicy, spreadable salami from the region that was developed during the Napoleonic era as an Italicized version of the French andouille sausage (from which its name derives). On a whim, I found some on Amazon the other night and ordered it, and it arrived in my mailbox today.
I’ve yet to open the package. I’m salivating thinking about the possibilities of what I could do with it, but I don’t really have a lot of ideas. I imagine it might be good on a sandwich with tomato and onion, or perhaps on top of a toasted bagel with cream cheese. Or perhaps mix it with scrambled eggs, like chorizo.
Anyone used the stuff before and got some uses for it that they like?
'nduja seems to be taking over the world (or the UK, anyway, bit like Burrata a few years ago).
It’s VERY spicy, so what ever you do, go easy with it.
One of my favourite pizza restaurants serves a ‘Calabrian’ pizza with 'nduja, which sounds right up your street. The 'nduja is added as little gobules dotted around – a little goes a long way. The menu lists the other toppings as simply mozarella, tomato sauce, fresh sweet sliced cherry tomatoes and lots of fresh basil (which you put on the pizza after it comes out of the oven).
Ciao fellow Calabrian! My paternal grandparents were born there. My grandma came to the US when she was 2 (1912) and my grandpa came here as a young boy (around 1918-20) I’ve never heard of 'ndjua. How is it pronounced? I would love to try it.
Well…I add chillies to 'nduja pizzas…but…well, I know, I’ve got a problem. The rest of the topping idea does sound pretty good though, but one of my favourite things to do to an 'nduja/tomato sauce/mozarella pizza (as well as adding chillies) is to scatter it with rocket instead of the basil, but the basil idea is sound: drop gobs of pesto over it, then shavings of parmesan over the top.
My great-grandparents came from the town of Platania and arrived in Boston in 1914, according to what I’ve learned. It’s my understanding that 'nduja is pronounced “in-DOO-ye”, similar how “andouille” is pronounced.
Of the recommendations so far, I’m thinking I’d like it as a pizza topping. Couldn’t wait 'til I had a day off, though, so I toasted a bagel and put some cream cheese and 'nduja on top. Stuff’s definitely stronger than I expected - the flavor of toasted chili peppers is overwhelming, and I used way more than I needed to on this first taste. I wouldn’t call it overwhelmingly spicy, but it definitely needs some sweetness to counterbalance the bitterness of the chilis. (Maybe that’s why basil was recommended upthread.)
Thinking of this thread, I finally managed to snag some 'nduja from a local salumeria (or whatever you call it) called Njuja Artisans. Man, this stuff is fantastic. I bought a 6 oz chub (it’s like $7 a quarter pound) and I’ve already eaten two-thirds of it just spread on rye toast. I’m not sure I would want to do anything else with it. Delicious tang, slightly spicy (this one doesn’t seem to be any spicier than your usual hot sopressata or capicola), but just delicious, flavorful, meat butter. Very deep red pepper/paprika flavor to it, reminds me of some of the great Hungarian paprika salamis/sausages that I miss, but with a bit more punch.
This is excellent. I wish it weren’t so pricey. Might have to look into home curing some stuff…
Meat butter, indeed. Rilletes appear to be similar. As other have mentioned, 'nduja can be used to enhance tomato-based sauces for pizza and pasta. I’d try it in a meatball sandwich.