Posts Tagged ‘Nduja’

Bite-sized Italian nibbles will make an interesting alternative or addition to traditional dim sum this Chinese New Year. Try , canederli (Italian dumplings with speck), ricotta and parmesan dumplings or arancini (deep fried risotto balls)…

Serves 4

10ml olive oil
160g carnaroli risotto rice
40ml white wine
350ml vegetable stock
30g Parmesan (grated)
40g plain flour
1 egg
80g white breadcrumbs
vegetable oil, enough to deep-fry
salt and pepper
150g n’duja

In a saucepan, gently heat the olive oil. Add the risotto rice to the pan and stir until the rice starts turning opaque at the ends. Add the white wine and stir until absorbed. Then add the stock, a ladle at a time until evaporated. After about 15 minutes, check the rice is cooked and take off the heat.

Add the butter, Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Add the egg and mix well. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for 10 more minutes until cold.

Now divide into 8 portions. Make a small ball of nduja and surround with rice to make a ball. Lightly dust each ball in flour, then dip into beaten egg and then breadcrumbs.

Heat the vegetable oil to 180C in a deep-fat fryer or medium sized saucepan. Fry the arancini for a few minutes until golden brown, then drain well on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.

The Telegraph last week featured an absolutely outstanding recipe from Francesco Mazzei and we were so pleased to see our fiery and irresistible N’duja sausage as a main feature! N’duja is probably the ultimate salami from Calabria, with it’s rustic and powerful flavour it is perfect for Francesco’s lamb ragu cavatelli. The flavour of this intense sausage is at first quite sweet, which then explodes with the full force of Calabrian chilli pepper. Absolutely delicious. View the whole article here or see below for the recipe.

1lb 2oz/500g lamb mince
Olive oil
3 tbsp red wine
1 tbsp finely chopped celery
1 tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tbsp finely chopped carrot
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Sprig of rosemary
Sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
14oz/390g tin plum tomatoes, drained
2 sprigs of mint
2 tbsp n’duja or soft chorizo
4 tbsp smoked ricotta or hard pecorino cheese, plus extra for serving
1lb/450g fresh cavatelli or orrechiette pasta (dried will be fine, too)

Fry the minced lamb with 2 tbsp olive oil until it is well browned, then put aside. In a small pan, boil the red wine until reduced by half.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and add the celery, onions, carrots, garlic, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Sweat together for a couple of minutes. Add the minced meat, red wine reduction and tomatoes and simmer for about 4-6 hours. Add the mint leaves for the last 15 minutes of cooking time.

Stir the n’duja or chorizo into the ragu and finish with grated smoked ricotta or pecorino cheese. Season with salt and pepper.  Cook the pasta and stir into the ragu. Serve with extra cheese to sprinkle on top.