When it comes to spicy pork dishes with Chillies, this one is a classic. Nduja is a fermented spreadable Salami paste similar to a pate. It comes from the Calabrian town of Spilinga, where it is made using the Calabrian Chilli. The Calabrian Chilli is small and red with a nice level of piquancy, which is ideal for this product.
It is traditionally stuffed into ox bungs and tied off into individual balls. This recipe however calls for the Nduja to be stuffed into sausage casings, because they are so much easier to get
Ingredients
- Pork Belly - 1.8 kilograms (nett weight after rind is removed).
- Pork shoulder – 1 kilogram
- Dried Chillies - 40 grams
- Fresh red Chillies – 200 grams (Preferably Calabrian Chillies, but Birds-eye Chillies work as well)
- Fine salt – 6o grams
- Smoked Paprika – 60 grams
- Prague powder no 2 –7.5 grams
- Sausage casings- 36 to 40 mm (soaked overnight)
Place the pork fat and shoulder into the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes before making his recipe. You are looking for the meat and fat to be very cold – almost but not quite frozen. Rinse the casings with fresh water and place in warm water 30 minutes before starting
Making the Nduja
- Grind the Chillies into a powder in a spice grinder.
- Place the fresh chillies into a blender and blend to a fine paste
- Mix the dry chilli powder, Paprika and blended chillies into a combined paste with a bit of ice-cold water
- Mince the pork belly and shoulder with a fine mincing plate (the rind of the belly of pork needs to have been removed)
- Mix the salt and Prague powder 2 and sprinkle over the meat
- Pass through the mincer again
- Add the mixed Chillies
- Using your hands or mixer with a paddle attachment, mix everything. It is vital that everything is well blended, and that the salt and Prague powder are well distributed through the mince. The end result should be a fine sticky paste.
- The paste needs to be tightly stuffed into the sausage casings and tied off at regular intervals. Once stuffed, use a sterilized needle to prick any air pockets that have formed in the casing.
Place the Ndujas into a curing chamber for a minimum one month (to up to three months) at a minimum temperature of 12 degrees Celsius with a humidity of 80 degrees. During this time, the meat will ferment and will be safe to eat raw once the curing time is over.
If you do not have a curing chamber, let the Nddujas cure in a Fridge for two weeks. In this instance, once cured, the Nduja will need to be cooked.
Serve with pasta, on toast or as a stuffing
