Calabria
Hand-rolled pasta from the Vibo Valentia province — twisted around a thin stick (ferretto) to create a spiral-groove tube — dressed with a spicy sauce of 'nduja (spreadable Calabrian salami), sun-dried tomatoes in oil and fresh basil. The 'nduja melts completely into the hot sauce, releasing its fat and turning it an extraordinary orange-red. This is Calabrian pasta at its most assertive.
Spicy, fatty, intensely savoury; 'nduja fat coats every strand; sun-dried tomato adds sweetness and acidity; the heat builds slowly — Calabrian pasta that demands attention
{"Fileja dough: semolina and water only, kneaded until very smooth and elastic — no egg","Roll thin ropes and twist firmly around the ferretto (knitting needle) — a loose twist uncoils during cooking","The 'nduja must be added to a warm (not hot) pan — high heat fries the fat rather than melting it","Sun-dried tomatoes should be packed in oil, not dry-packed — dry-packed need rehydration before use","Toss the pasta in the sauce with a splash of pasta water over gentle heat for 2 minutes — the pasta absorbs the 'nduja fat"}
{"The 'nduja releases so much fat that additional oil is rarely needed — let the sausage fat be the sauce oil","A handful of fresh basil torn over the plated dish gives a fresh green contrast to the spicy, dark sauce","Topped with ricotta salata (salted, dried ricotta) instead of Pecorino — the milder dairy balances the 'nduja's intensity"}
{"High heat for the 'nduja — it separates into oil and dry solids rather than melting smoothly","Dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes added without rehydration — they are too chewy and don't integrate","Not finishing pasta in the sauce — the fileja must absorb the orange 'nduja fat to be correct"}
La Cucina Calabrese — Pasta, 'Nduja e Mare