‘Nduja is a type of cured meat, whose bright red colour points to its true nature – it’s really spicy! ‘Nduja originates from Spilinga (but has spread throughout Calabria) and what makes it special is the mix of spices and hot Calabrian chilli. I often use ‘nduja in the kitchen to give an unexpected twist to any dish or to spice up fish dishes in particular.
My recipe book lacked a main course, therefore I immediately thought that ‘nduja could be a perfect match for fileja. Fileja is a type of pasta made in Calabria, shaped with a metal rod. The shape and grain of the pasta holds the sauce really well, making this a colourful plate that combines my favourite flavours from Calabria.