Between green mountains and crystal clear sea, the region of Calabria offers a plethora of unique delicacies, including ‘nduja, a curious spreadable deli meat, characterised by a bright red color and a fiery taste.
Even if its origin is uncertain – maybe Spanish, because of the heavy use of chillies imported from the Americas, or possibly Medieval, but with a different recipe – we have good information about its name, which is definitely French in origin. Indeed, the French word andouille is used to indicate all preparations typical of salumeria.
As it often happens, salumi are usually the result of our ancestors’ good habit of creating something delicious from leftovers. ‘Nduja, for instance, is made with pig’s fat and lesser cuts, with the addition of Calabria’s own fresh sweet and hot chillies that, beside adding flavor and color to the product, are also filled with antioxidants and act as a natural preservative.
The meat, fat and chillies are ground very thinly until they become a cream, which is then put into the a traditional casing called orba and smoked with olive and locust tree wood. After a brief period of aging, it can last for over a year. Once used only as an accompaniment to vegetables, today ‘nduja has become a popular ingredient for pizzas and meat based pasta sauces. It has a DOP denomination.
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