#main #italian *" Spicy, creamy, effortless Pasta with Nduja "* ### Introduction Looking for a pasta dish that’s both effortless and bursting with flavour? This Nduja pasta is the perfect balance of rich, spicy, and slightly sweet, thanks to the caramelized red onions. But first what is Nduja? Nduja is a spicy, spreadable pork sausage from Calabria, Italy. Made with pork, Calabrian chili peppers, and a mix of spices, it has a rich, smoky heat and a smooth, almost pâté-like texture. Unlike traditional sausages, Nduja melts into sauces, adding a deep, savoury kick to pasta, pizza, and even eggs. This pasta dish is effortless and flavourful. Plus, with a couple of easy upgrades—like creamy burrata or crispy lemon-zested breadcrumbs—you can turn this dish into a restaurant-worthy experience with minimal extra effort. Whether you’re cooking for guests or simply treating yourself, this pasta is guaranteed to impress. Let’s get cooking! ### Ingredients (3-4 people) * Ndjuja (1 jar, approx 135 gram) * Pasta (100 - 125 grams per serving) * 1 red onion * Tomatoes (1 can, 500 grams) * Balsamico vinegar (3 teaspoons) * Brown sugar (1 teaspoon) * Butter (1 tablespoon) * Parmesan ( approx. 50 grams) * 1/2 squeeze of lemon juice (optional) * Chilli flakes (1 teaspoon, optional) * Salt to taste > [!optional] > 1. Burrata (50-75 grams) per serving > 2. Lemon zested Bread crumbs > > If you decide to choose one of these delicious additions or, you glutenous fiend, you went for both, follow my tips after the instructions. ### Instructions 1. Cook the pasta according the instructions 2. Chop the red onion roughly and add to a frying pan with 1 tablespoon of butter on medium heat. Continue cooking/caramelizing the onion on medium heat for 10-15minutes. Add two teaspoons of balsamico vinegar and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar to the frying pan with the onions and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes till (light-)brown and soft. ![[Screenshot 2025-03-10 at 22.27.03.png | 215]] 3. Add the Nduja to the frying pancontinue cooking on medium heat for 5 minutes. ![[nduja.png |200]] 4. Now add the canned tomatoes to the frying pan and continue cooking for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Here it is important to taste the food and see if you want to add a bit more of chilli flakes for extra spice and want to add a bit of freshness by adding a squeeze of 1/2 lemon or an additional teaspoon of balsamico ![[nduja + tomato.png | 200]] 5. Mix the cooked pasta with the sauce. Grate the parmesan in the pan and mix well. ![[pasta.png | 200]] > [!tip] > This pasta is already delicious as is, but if you are wanting to go just a little bit further to impress your dinner guest or simply in the "treat yo self mood". I have a few tips that will really take this simple but delicious pasta to the next level without that much extra effort: > > 1. Add 1/2 burrata per serving of pasta. Before serving add half a burrata (50-75 grams) to the bowl. The creaminess of the burrata with the spicy nduja is heaven. > 2. Add lemon zested breadcrumbs. Simply bake around 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs per serving in virgin olive oil for 3-4 minutes on medium heat till golden brown. Zest half a lemon and mix well. Before serving sprinkle these lemonzested breadcrumbs on top of the pasta and enjoy! Simply Dushi!