There's a soft yet spicy sausage from Calabria that's suddenly claimed everyone's heart. Little wonder as ‘nduja (pronounced en-DOO-ya) is spreadable, mixable and hot enough to blast your cares away.
"‘Nduja is totally having a moment, which is fantastic to see Australians embracing this much loved spicy favourite of ours," says Rebecca McEwan, co-founder of with her partner Massimiliano Scalas. "There is nothing quite like ‘nduja, the rich red colour screams heat!"
Oh yes, the heat. It's fair to say that 'nduja should carry a warning for anyone who's spice shy. This is one furnace-like addition to the cheese platter. When asked what makes 'nduja so spicy, Rebecca doesn't hold back.
Massimiliano Scalas and Rebecca McEwan introduced ‘nduja to their Salumi Australia range to utilise the trimmings of cuts like the soft pancetta belly. Source: Kitti Gould
"Chilli, chilli, chilli, whether it be chilli flakes, chilli oil or ground fresh chillies, ‘Nduja is all about the spice," she laughs.
Robert De Palma, who operates De Palma Salumi with his father Antonio and wife Juliette, agrees. He confesses that while their 'nduja isn't made in the traditional way with red chilli, they certainly haven't gone over to the mild side. "[Instead] we use a ghost pepper which has a slow build heat with a punch and then it leaves your pallet with the nice flavour of the pork and other herbs and spices," he says.
Calabrese fire
Traditionally a 'one part chilli to two parts pork' ratio was expected, but these days 'nduja doesn't necessarily have a set recipe and many combinations of flavour are packed into the soft salami. "Some producers use time-honoured capsicum sauce recipes and others just use a combination of chilli, depending on where the recipe originated in Italy," says Rebecca.
Chilli, chilli, chilli... ‘Nduja is all about the spice
While its exact origins are unknown, 'nduja dates back to at least the thirteenth century when the French Angevins were in Sicily. Its name and inspiration most likely come from the French smoked pork sausage andouille. The small municipality of Spilinga claims 'nduja as its own and has celebrated the spreadable sausage at an annual festival on 8 August since ancient times.
Its Calabrian origins explain 'nduja's fiery nature - everything good to eat in Calabria has plenty of added spice. The region is famous for cultivating native chilli peppers like 'tri pizzi', which is grown in the Apennines ranges. Like all salamis, 'nduja was most likely created by peasants to use up leftover pork discards after slaughtering. In 'nduja's case, there must have been a particularly large amount of pork fat leftovers.
Rob De Palma in amongst the 'nduja at De Palma Salumi Source: De Palma Salumi
The makings of something good
"‘Nduja is essentially made in the same way as a salami fermented, dried and aged, however, it's all in the recipe that makes it special," says Rebecca. "‘Nduja, has a much higher soft fat content than a regular salami and a large amount of chilli, it's also minced to a very small grind. All of this combined keeps the ‘nduja soft and delicate, which some like to call a paste."
In 'nduja's case, there must have been a particularly large amount of pork fat leftovers.
These days, the spreadable salami is made with the best possible ingredients, including pork cuts. "The better the pork quality, the better the ‘nduja," confirms Rebecca. "When you eat a good ‘nduja you should be able to taste the flavour of the pork first, then the chilli gradually increases in heat and finally leaves a tingling on the tongue that makes you want to eat more. Chilli heads can’t get enough of it!"
Recipe for 'nduja pizza .
'Nduja pizza is exactly what we all need right now. Source: Martin Poole 2016
Since 'nduja is so soft, it's an extremely versatile cold cut to have around. Spread it on a cracker (Robert's favourite way to eat it); smear it on sourdough with buffalo mozzarella (Rebecca and Massimiliano love it this way); , or try adding it to homemade pizza. Rebecca will also mix it with grilled octopus or a slow ragu to add a punch of spice.
"This is such a unique product that can be eaten fresh as it comes or can be used in cooking to replace chilli, where it takes on a whole new flavour bomb," says Rebecca.
If you want to blow your top with 'nduja, best to get in quick. It's flying off the shelves faster than you can say pass the aqua.
"We only recently started producing 'nduja due to customer requests," says Juliette. "It’s definitely very popular and we have definitely we have seen an increase in demand. Everyone is talking about it."
