What is ‘nduja?
‘Nduja di Spilinga is the original spreadable salami and the mountain town from which it originally hails. It’s also where production of 250K pounds for distribution still occurs, year-round. In the town of Spilinga, they pronounce it IN-DOO-JAH whereas outside the town, particularly by the coast (and even abroad), it is pronounced IN-DOO-YA.
‘Nduja is a fiery pork spread unique to Calabria, Italy. The salami contains about 40-50% fat content (hence what makes it spreadable).
The meat and fat are both ground, heavily seasoned with local pepperoncini and salt and mixed until creamy, spreadable, and with an intense red hue. Then it’s stuffed into a natural hog casing, smoked for several days, and then air dried. They also pack glass jars of ‘nduja without the casing for sale abroad.
‘Nduja is typically served as an antipasto on Calabrian tables where it is served spread on rustic bread. It’s also used for sauces, stews and sandwiches. Of course, more modern uses today include eggs and pizza throughout Italy (including Calabria) and abroad.
‘nduja honey is a thing and it’s available for purchase throughout Calabria.
Weighing homemade ‘nduja in the town of Spilinga. Making homemade ‘nduja is still custom and the natives are more than happy to show off their own handmade versions of the spreadable and spicy salami.
Where does the word 'nduja actually come from though? Is it African? Indian? Albanian? It's definitely not Italian but it is 100% Calabrian.
The word 'nduja (pro: in-DOO-ya and in-DOO-jah) is a very obscure word that has perplexed many (myself included) and although I have my own theories about its etymological origins (which do not include the French andouille at all), I'm still a bit uncertain.
I can totally understand why people would think it derives from the French andouille (pro: en-DOO-ee) phonetically, but historically it just doesn't add up. It also comes from the regional language within Calabria for centuries and not at all from the modern Italian language you hear (post-reunification) today.
You see, around the time Napoleon decided to stomp on my family's land with his little Corsican boots, Calabrians were already producing 'nduja with spicy peppers that the Spaniards had already brought over from Central America years before. The traditional 'nduja was created most likely around the time when Calabria was a Spanish dominion. The Spaniards also had their own spreadable salami called (to make matters even more confusing) "sobrassada" a word very similar to the famous dried salami "soppressata" (I know. So confusing.). Somehow somewhere, this spreadable Spanish sobrassada made its way to Calabria and inspired the spicy spreadable salami spread we know today as ‘nduja.
Of course, I'll be researching the origin of the word 'nduja further when I plan on visiting the town of Spilinga where the traditional 'nduja actually comes from and where it is still commercially produced. I'm curious to see what the native Calabrians have to say about the history of ‘nduja and the mystery it keeps on giving.
You will all definitely be the first to know the Calabrian reaction once I get it. To be continued…