Creamy Nduja Pasta
Why didn’t anyone tell me about nduja earlier in life?! This spicy, spreadable pork sausage from the Calabria region of Italy is glorious in every form, but especially so in my creamy pasta.
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 hot italian sausages, casings removed
¼ cup nduja
¼ cup tomato paste
2 egg yolks
1 cup parmesan, plus more for serving
1 tbsp butter
500g rigatoni
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salty water to boil.
While you wait, heat a large skillet (ideally one with tall sides) on medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
Add sausage meat and break up into 1-inch pieces. Let it cook, untouched until caramelized and golden on one side.
Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage into smaller pieces and let cook until ⅓ of the meat is browned and crispy.
Your water should be boiling by now, so drop your pasta. I’m using rigatoni but I think linguine would also work well here.
Back in the pan, add nduja and tomato paste. Using the back of the spoon, smoosh the nduja and tomato paste into the oil and stir, completely coating the sausage. Reduce heat to low.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and parmesan. Once thickened, add it to your nduja-sausage and mix. A thick sauce will start to form.
Reserve 2 cups of pasta water and drain the rest. Add pasta to the pan with about ½ cup pasta water and mix vigorously. Add butter, ½ cup more pasta and mix again. You’ll know it’s ready when the sauce is creamy and glossy and each pasta noodle is generously coated.
Remove and serve with more parmesan.
Tag me if you make it @stefsdinnerdate <3