‘Nduja pasta is one of life’s greatest pleasures. The spicy, spreadable pork condiment gets cooked with hot Italian sausages then mixed with a little secret ingredient that makes it creamy and delicious (and no, it’s not cream!) Great for a weeknight but fun enough for a cheeky dinner party.
Equipment
Here’s what you need to make creamy ‘nduja pasta at home:
- large pot
- large skillet
- chef’s knife
- cutting board
- wooden spoon
- medium bowl
- measuring cup
- strainer
You can find the full ingredients list and recipe instructions can be found below!
Cooking Tips
- Salt your pasta water. You have probably heard cooks say, “your pasta should be salty like the ocean!” It’s me, I’m cooks. That means, you need to taste the pasta water to know if it’s well-seasoned, and when you do, it should be salty like the ocean.
- Temper the egg-parmesan mix. The creamy component to this pasta is actually not cream, it’s a mixture of egg yolks and parmesan. To prevent the eggs from curdling in the pasta, you need to temper them. We do this by mixing a bit of boiling pasta water with the eggs and parmesan before adding it to the pot. This also activates the eggs’ thickening power, making the dish extra silky in texture.
- Shopping for ‘nduja might be easier than you think. I’m seeing it pop up more and more in my local grocery stores. Most often, I find it in the Italian section, amongst the jarred and canned products.
Ingredients
Method
- Bring a large pot of salty water to boil. While you wait, thinly slice 2 garlic cloves and remove and discard the casings from 2 hot Italian sausages.
- Heat a large skillet (ideally one with tall sides) on medium heat. Coat the bottom in a light layer of olive oil and let it heat up. Add 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, about 10 minutes.
- By now your water should be boiling, so drop 500g of pasta and cook to al dente, about 1 minute less than package instructions. Back in the pan, add 1/4 cup 'nduja and 2 tbsp 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 medium-low and let cook until slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together 2 egg yolks and 1 cup parmesan. Add a splash of pasta water and whisk again—this will temper the eggs and prevent curdling. Once thickened, and the tomato paste is caramelized, add it to the pan and mix until a thick sauce forms.
- 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. Continue mixing, adding more pasta water as needed, until the sauce is creamy and glossy and each pasta noodle is generously coated. Remove and serve with more parmesan.