Nduja proves to be a versatile menu addition

Cured meats are a perfect pairing on pizza. In the March issue, we showcase a guide of commonly used cured meats in pizzerias. There is one popular salami that presents very differently than other cured meats. That is nduja. Its spreadable texture alone sets it apart from many other cured meats.

I still think about a nduja pizza that Pizzeria Mozza posted on Instagram well over a year ago. It paired nduja with leeks, onion cream, smoked Scamorza and a cracked egg on top. That pizza became ingrained in my mind so much that I had to make a version at home. It did not disappoint.

What is nduja?

Nduja (pronounced en-doo-ya) is a spicy, spreadable pork sausage. It has deep roots in the Calabrian region of Italy dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Nduja is made from various cuts of pig, including the belly and fat back, which adds to its smooth texture. It is known for its spice with plenty of ground Calabrian chili peppers, which also accounts for the vibrant red color.

Nduja’s unique qualities makes it a versatile addition to your kitchen ingredient arsenal. As curious diners seek new and interesting flavors, nduja hits high marks as an elevated ingredient. The spreadable sausage is found in casing and in jars. Nduja can be imported from Italy, sourced locally or made in house. In the January issue of Pizza Today, John Gutekanst shared a beef version of the iconic sausage.

There can be several applications in your pizzeria. Adding nduja to the menu can be an easy lift for you. Don’t stop at pizza, use nduja across the menu. We have a few ideas for each category.

• Appetizers. You can get creative with nduja on your starters menu. Some interesting ideas include nduja-stuffed pizza puffs or rolls, nduja-stuffed olives, bruschetta topped with nduja, burrata finished with a dollop of nduja and cheese dip infused with nduja.
• Sandwiches. Since it is spreadable, nduja is the perfect addition to an Italian club or a chicken Parmesan. One of my favorites is making a nduja grilled cheese.
• Pastas. The possibilities are endless on the pasta side, as nduja can be mixed into sauces for added flavor. A few good options are penne with nduja vodka cream sauce and ravioli stuffed with nduja and ricotta.
• Pizzas. Nduja can be paired with so many pizza topping combinations. Let nduja shine with fresh mozzarella or burrata. Go full heat with Calabrian peppers and hot honey. Change up your Hawaiian pizza by swapping out the ham for nduja. Olives, arugula, roasted garlic, microgreens, basil and red onion accompany nduja well.
  

Nduja Recipes

Here are three recipes featuring nduja for you to test in your kitchen:

Nduja Bruschetta

Get the Nduja Bruschetta recipe. 

Penne with Nduja Vodka Cream Sauce

Get the Penne with Nduja Vodka Cream Sauce recipe.

Nduja and Burrata Pizza

Get the Nduja and Burrata Pizza recipe.

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.