Orecchiette With Nduja Sauce Recipe

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Orecchiette with Nduja Sauce
Serves4
SkillEasy
Total Time30 mins
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories557 Kcal28%
Fat18 g26%
Saturated Fat4.5 g23%

For a dinner party recipe that’s a little different from the rest – why not give this pasta dish a try?

Nduja is a type of spicy spreadable pork paste from Italy that’s made from different parts of the pig. Adding it into the sauce of this dish really ramps up the spice and adds a porky flavour to this fresh pasta.

Banana shallots are a cross between and onion and a shallot, as they have the size of an onion but the sweetness of the shallot, and add another flavour element to this dish to contrast the spicy nduja flavour. Cherry tomatoes also add another sweetness and are a great addition to ramp up your vitamin C intake.

Orecchiette is a home made pasta typically from southern Italy and really helps this dish to feel and look different thanks to its unusual shape – like an ear!

This recipe is served up with fresh basil and grated parmesan, so you really can make your guests feel as though they’ve stepped into Italy this week.

HOW TO MAKE ORECCHIETTE WITH NDUJA SAUCE

Method

  1. Cook the shallots gently in the oil for 5 minutes, then add the nduja and cook, stirring, for a further 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and garlic. Season. Cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until tender. Toss the sauce and pasta together then serve with fresh basil and Parmesan.

Ingredients

  • 2 banana shallots, finely chopped
  • 3tbsp olive oil
  • 100g nduja (find it in Waitrose)
  • 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 400g orecchiette pasta
  • fresh basil, to serve
  • freshly grated Parmesan, to serve
Jane Curran

Jane Curran is a freelance food editor, stylist, writer and consultant based in Cape Town. Former food director of TI Media & woman&home. All about food, wine (dipWSET), gardening and the Arsenal.