In much the same way that sriracha burst onto the scene and landed directly into the canon of American pantry staples, ’nduja (en-doo-yah) is primed for culinary greatness. A spreadable sausage that hails from Calabria, Italy, ’nduja is blended with hot peppers for a characteristic heat and smoky jolt of umami that complements just about any savory dish. Until recently, ’nduja was virtually impossible to find in the US, but ’Nduja Artisans is setting out to change that.
“We are from the area where ’nduja was created; my grandfather still lives there in Calabria,” said company co-founder Tony Fiasche, who, with his father, unearthed a fifth-generation family recipe to found ’Nduja Artisans and bring the product stateside. Made from a proprietary blend of calabrian peppers and Berkshire Pork fatback and shoulder, ’Nduja Artisans’ namesake product holds its own as a pizza topping, serves as an unexpected substitute for bacon in breakfast sandwiches (and a worthy binder in sandwiches of any kind), melts down to be incorporated into pasta sauces, and is thoroughly enjoyable on its own, spread simply on grilled bread.
