Fileja alla Nduja: Calabrian Spicy Pasta
Fileja alla nduja is a Calabrian pasta where the sauce starts with nduja melting into warm oil and tomato.
The aim is heat with depth, not just chilli. Let the nduja dissolve slowly so it seasons the whole sauce.
Let Nduja Become the Sauce
Nduja is soft, spicy and rich, so it does not need much help. Tomato balances the fat and heat, while twisted fileja holds the sauce well.
If fileja is hard to find, use another short pasta with ridges or twists.
Ingredients for Fileja alla Nduja
- 360 g fileja or short pasta
- 80 g nduja
- 500 g tomato passata
- 1 small onion – finely chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Pecorino – optional
- Salt
- Basil – optional
Melt the Nduja Gently
- Soften onion.
Cook onion gently in olive oil until sweet. - Melt nduja.
Add nduja and stir until it loosens into the oil. - Simmer tomato.
Add passata and simmer until glossy and slightly thick. - Toss pasta.
Cook pasta al dente and toss with the sauce, adding pasta water if needed.
Control the Heat
- Taste before adding chilli.
Nduja can already be very hot. - Use pasta water.
It helps the sauce cling. - Do not over-salt early.
Nduja and cheese add salt.
Serving Fileja alla Nduja
Serve hot, with pecorino if you like a sharper finish. Keep the portion generous but not overloaded with sauce.
More Calabrian Recipes
Continue with Calabrian Potatoes and Peppers, Stuffed Aubergines.
