Nduja Pasta: Why This Spicy Nduja Pasta Is Taking Over Italy

By Vincenzo's Plate · 25 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Peel the red onion and cut it into small chunks.
2. Heat about 10 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Cook the onion gently for about 7 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until soft and golden brown. Add a splash of water and keep stirring to prevent burning.
3. Squeeze the nduja out of its casing into the pan and stir until it melts into the onion and oil. Save any leftover nduja for another use.
4. Pour in the passata, stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour for a deeper flavour.
5. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
6. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of rock salt. Cook the rigatoni according to the package directions, stirring now and then.
7. Turn off the heat under the sauce. Tear the basil leaves by hand and stir them into the sauce.
8. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Using a strainer, transfer the rigatoni straight into the sauce with a little water clinging to it.
9. Toss well with a wooden spoon, adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta.
10. Add the grated Pecorino Romano and keep tossing until it melts into a creamy sauce.

Summarized from Vincenzo's Plate's video. Watch it for the details.

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