If you are a fan of spicy food you need this warm piquant ‘nduja pasta with burrata on top! The warm flavour is balanced out by the milky creaminess from the burrata cheese. A match made in heaven which will make it one of your weeknight meals essentials.
What is ‘Nduja?
‘Nduja is a traditional Calabrian pork sausage packed with Calabrian chilies that make it extra spicy. However, unlike any other sausage the main characteristic of the ‘Nduja is that it’s not cuttable but spreadable. As the texture of this sausage is creamy, it is commonly served over warm toasted bread. It is always frequently used as a final pizza topping or else incorporated into sauces for pasta. Although, nowadays it’s being used in multiple ways in different dishes. You can either find this sausage fresh from the deli section or else in jars from the preserve aisles.
How to make the pasta sauce?
For this ‘Nduja pasta, the sauce doesn’t require a lot of work as only few preparation steps are needed and it’s actually ready in a few minutes. In a large skillet warm some olive oil and add a diced white onion. To this add the ‘nduja. As it has a creamy texture due to its high fat content, the ‘nduja will emulsify together with the onion and the tomato passata. This will create a rich sauce which is ready to be mixed with your favourite pasta noodles! In addition, you can prepare this sauce in tandem with the pasta which means you don’t have to think too much ahead of time to start cooking this pasta.
Served on top!
Who here is a big fan of burrata? ME! If I could, I would put burrata on top of everything! I just love the smooth velvety stracciatella inside the outer layer of mozzarella. One of the reasons why I love it so much it’s because I’m obsessed with cutting the burrata and seeing all the creamy goodness pouring out. In fact, it is this creaminess which makes this cheese perfect to be served on top of this spicy sausage pasta. The burrata helps to reduce the fiery taste of the pasta and creates a perfect balance.
How much burrata to serve on top? Well this is mainly up to you and how much of the strong spiciness you actually want. You can either serve a small burrata on top of each plate, or else simply cut open some pieces on top. Don’t forget to let the cheese a few minutes at room temperature before serving with a generous drizzle of olive oil and same salt and pepper.
‘Nduja Pasta with Burrata
Ingredients
- 80 g Nduja
- 400 g tomato passata
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small white onion diced
- 400 g tagliatelle pasta
- Burrata 1 or more as desired
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and cook the diced white onion for about 3 minutes until lightly translucent.
- Add gently the 'nduja and gently break it down. If necessary add some warm water so that it helps the 'nduja to break down and emulsify even further.
- Once that the 'nduja has fully dissolved, add the tomato passata and mix well. Let the mixture cook for about 15 minutes on low heat.
- In the meantime, bring to boil a pot filled with water. Once it starts to boil, season with plenty of salt. Add the pasta and cook as instructed on the package or until al dente.
- As soon as the pasta is ready, add it to the sauce and mix well until all the pasta is covered with the sauce. Add salt and pepper as required.
- Serve immediately and top it with the fresh burrata cheese.
If you have any questions, feedback or comments on this recipe, please leave a comment below. Please also rate this recipe by double clicking on the stars below. If you did make this recipe, tag @apronandwhisk and hashtag #apronandwhisk, as I’m curious to see what you create!
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Does this freeze well?
Hi 🙂 I haven’t tried freezing it, as I always made it fresh. However, I assume that it should freeze the same as a normal tomato sauce.