'Nduja Pasta Aglio e Olio

'Nduja Pasta Aglio e Olio

Recipes with 'Nduja

The classic Roman aglio e olio elevated with a generous spoonful of 'nduja melted into the garlic oil. A 20-minute masterpiece of spicy, savory pasta.

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

15 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

  • 400g spaghetti
  • 80g 'nduja
  • 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 80ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
  • Large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Salt
  • 50g pecorino romano, grated (optional)
  • Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Steps

1

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until 1 minute short of al dente (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Reserve 300ml of pasta water.

2

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and chili flakes. Cook very gently for 2-3 minutes until the garlic is pale gold -- never brown.

3

Add the 'nduja to the garlic oil and stir. It will melt and dissolve into the oil within about a minute, turning it a gorgeous spicy red-orange color.

4

Add 150ml of pasta water to the pan and stir vigorously. Drain the spaghetti and add it directly to the sauce. Toss aggressively over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed to create a silky, emulsified sauce.

5

Remove from heat. Add the chopped parsley and toss through. Serve in warm bowls with a drizzle of raw olive oil and grated pecorino if desired.

Tips

The 'nduja replaces much of the chili in a traditional aglio e olio and adds a meaty depth that makes this dish incredibly satisfying. Do not skip the pasta water -- the starch is what makes the sauce cling to every strand.