fileja alla 'nduja
fileja with 'nduja
Here's a classic dish from the region of Calabria, in the toe of Italy, with just a few ingredients that are certain to create a memorable pasta.
Fileja are really quite unique - a shorter pasta that has the bite and feel of a longer shape. Fileja are sometimes difficult to get hold of in supermarkets in the UK, but Fratelli Camisa stock the excellent Astorino Fileja, which is what I used for this recipe.
Also on the Camisa website is the Bontà di Calabria brand 'Nduja, which is one of the most flavoursome I've tried. It's smokey and meaty and spicy and perfect for this dish.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO
(scroll down for the full method)
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chop and cook the onions
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make the sauce with the polpa
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boil the pasta
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melt the 'nduja into the sauce
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transfer pasta to sauce
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complete the pasta cooking
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combine with sauce, plate
fileja alla 'nduja
FOR FOUR PEOPLE
INGREDIENTS
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100g 'nduja (Fratelli Camisa)
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1 medium red onion
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400g tomato polpa (Mutti)
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1 handful basil leaves
PASTA
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400g dry fileja
MANTECATURA
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light
METHOD
Some varieties of 'nduja tend to disappear into the background when they're combined with other ingredients or used in a sauce, but the Bontà di Calabria brand from Camisa is incredible - it keeps its smokey, pork flavour even when it's added to a tomato and onion sauce.
Start by chopping the red onion finely and cooking it gently in a drizzle of EVO. Add a tiny amount of tap water and cook it until it softens. Don't colour or burn it at all.
When the onion is soft, add the tomato polpa and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes, after adding salt to taste.
While the tomato sauce is simmering, boil the pasta. Weigh out 100g 'nduja then turn down the heat under the sauce and gradually melt the 'nduja into it. Taste as you go and stop if you think it's getting too much like rocket fuel!
As the fileja get past the 'al dente' stage, fish them out of the pasta cooking water and transfer direct to a pasta pan for tossing with the tomato sauce. Don't throw away the cooking water.
Finish cooking the pasta in the pan with the 'nduja tomato sauce, adding small amounts of cooking water if need be and tossing regularly until everything's nicely combined.
Throw in the basil leaves, toss once more, then plate with a sprinkle of pecorino.