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Ziti spezzati nduja e ricotta (ziti with ’nduja and salted ricotta)

By: Francesco Chiarelli

Published: 28 Aug 24
Updated: 5 Sep 24

Ziti spezzati nduja e ricotta (ziti with ’nduja and salted ricotta)

’Nduja – a spicy, sweet and soft salami – has taken the UK by storm over the past few years, but it’s the small Calabrian town of Spilinga that we have to thank for it. Such a flavourful ingredient needs nothing more than a simple tomato sauce and a sprinkling of cheese shine in this pasta dish from chef Francesco Chiarelli.

“Every dish in Calabria is an expression of the territory and speaks its own language,” says Francesco. “Each place follows its own tradition. This is what makes my home region so special.” Browse our full guide to the gourmet delights of Calabria.

Francesco grew up in Calabria, where he gained his culinary qualifications, working in local hotels and restaurants. He moved to London in 2012 to work with another renowned Calabrian chef, Francesco Mazzei, at L’Anima. Francesco Chiarelli went on to become sous chef at the Italian restaurant Sartoria, in Mayfair, before moving to Fiume in Battersea as head chef. He returned to Sartoria as head chef in 2019, where he manages a team of 20 and creates refined Italian menus.

Easy
August 2024

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 20 min . Simmering time 1 hour 15 min

Nutrition: Per serving

Calories: 683kcals
Fat: 27g (6.8g saturated)
Protein: 20g
Carbohydrates: 83g (14g sugars)
Fibre: 7.6g
Salt: 1.1g

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Before you start

Ricotta salata (salted ricotta) is an aged, firmer version of the creamy cheese. It’s available from Italian delis and Ocado. If you can’t find it, you can use feta or pecorino. Ziti is a tubular pasta similar to penne, but often much longer. It’s available on Ocado, or use penne instead.

Before you start

Ingredients

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 large onion, finely sliced
500ml passata (see Tips)
2 garlic cloves, sliced
20g basil, plus extra to serve
60g ’nduja
50g ricotta salata (see Before you start)
400g dried ziti, broken into shorter pieces, or penne

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Method

Put 2 tbsp of the oil in a saucepan over a low-medium heat, then add the onion. Cook for 15 minutes until very soft, then tip in the passata and season with a pinch of salt. Leave to very gently simmer for 1 hour or until the sauce is thick, rich and glossy (add a splash of water if it starts to catch).
Once cooked, add the remaining oil to another saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add the garlic, sizzle until golden, then stir in the basil. Immediately pour the oil into the tomato sauce, stir, then pour the sauce into a sieve set over a bowl. Use the back of a spoon to push the smooth sauce through the sieve – you should end up with around 250g in total.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. In the same saucepan you used to infuse the oil, add the ’nduja and put over a medium heat. Cook until the ’nduja melts, then pour in the tomato sauce and two thirds of the cheese. Stir and leave to gently simmer while you boil the pasta for a few minutes less than it states on the packet instructions (or until al dente).

Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of cooking water, then add it to the sauce. Stir vigorously, adding splashes of the pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Divide the pasta among bowls, then serve with the remaining cheese, some fresh basil leaves and a final drizzle of olive oil.