Name: Fileja alla ’Nduja
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400 g Semola rimacinata; 100 g ’Nduja di Spilinga (casing off); 600 g San Marzano tomatoes; 80 g Onion (Tropea if the world is kind); 40 ml Extra-virgin olive oil; 60 g Pecorino Romano (grated, plus more at the table); 8 g Fresh basil; 9 g Salt (pot and sauce; the ’nduja brings plenty); 200 ml Water (warm, for the dough)

The one choice that matters here is the heat under the ’nduja: this recipe melts it slowly in the onion's oil, never frying it, so the chile turns warm and rounded instead of harsh. Rolling the fileja around a rod leaves a hollow spiral that fills with sauce, which is why the toss with pasta water in step 6 counts. Taste the melted base before the tomatoes go in; ’nduja varies from batch to batch.

Make ahead You can prepare the sauce before cooking the pasta. Keep it refrigerated until needed, then reheat it thoroughly and toss with freshly cooked fileja.

Total: 1 hr 35 min
Prep: 50 min
Cook: 25 min
Serves: 4

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Fileja alla ’Nduja

Total 1 hr 35 min · Prep 50 min · Cook 25 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 servings

For the fileja

400 g2⅓ cups400 g
Semola rimacinata
200 ml¾ cup200 ml
Waterwarm, for the dough

100 g3½ oz100 g
’Nduja di Spilingacasing off
600 g1¼ lb600 g
San Marzano tomatoes
80 g2¾ oz80 g
OnionTropea if the world is kind
40 ml2¾ tbsp40 ml
Extra-virgin olive oil
60 g2 oz60 g
Pecorino Romanograted, plus more at the table
8 g
Fresh basil
9 g1½ tsp9 g
Saltpot and sauce; the ’nduja brings plenty

Method

Knead the semola with about 200 ml warm water and a pinch of salt; rest 20 minutes.Knead the semola with about ¾ cup (200 ml) warm water and a pinch of salt; rest 20 minutes.
Roll ropes, cut 8 cm lengths, and wrap each diagonally around a thin rod; slide off and let the spirals dry on semolina while you cook.Roll ropes, cut 3¼ in lengths, and wrap each diagonally around a thin rod; slide off and let the spirals dry on semolina while you cook.
Roll the dough around the rod, then slide it off to leave a hollow centre.
Soften the onion in the oil over low heat. Add the ’nduja and let it melt completely, mashing, until the oil glows orange, 3 to 4 minutes; never let it fry hard.
Add the tomatoes, crushing them by hand, a pinch of salt, and simmer 15 minutes to a thick, brick-red sauce.
Boil the fileja in well-salted water until tender with a firm spiral heart, 5 to 7 minutes.
Toss pasta and sauce with a ladle of cooking water until every spiral is coated inside and out. Off the heat, add half the pecorino and the basil.
Plate with the remaining pecorino and a warning, in that order.

Equipment

SkewersA thin bamboo skewer or knitting needle stands in for the traditional ferretto.
Sauté PanBig enough to toss the pasta right in the sauce.Our pick
- Our pick
  All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel Sauté Pan with Lid, 3 qt
  A sauté pan with a lid for the sauce and the final pasta toss; work in batches if needed.
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