Tag: nduja
‘Nduja Tater Tots
If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it 1,000 times, WE LOVE ‘NDUJA. It has to be one of the greatest culinary ingredients of all time. Everything gets better when you add a little ‘nduja. Butter? Yup. Pasta? Yup. Grilled ham and cheese sandwich? Yup. And countless other times that haven’t been documented on the internet.
And it should come at no shock that ‘nduja makes the childhood favorite, tater tots, even better.
Homemade tater tots are easier than you may think, but do require a bit of touch and feel to get right. Using frozen, thawed potatoes makes for a more consistent tot, but they can be a little wet. Squeeze out the extra water with a kitchen towel or sturdy paper towel once they are thawed. When mixing, you might need to add a little bit more cornstarch to help them stick together better. And a quick nap in the freezer helps keep them together as well.
While ketchup might be the most traditional tater tot dipping sauce, this tangy yogurt dip with sizzled herbs brings some freshness and creaminess to the crunchy and salty tots. This dip also utilizes an underappreciated ingredient – herb stems! Yes, most of the time you pluck the leaves off and toss the stems. Instead, the flavorful stems get finely chopped and sizzled in oil that gets swirled into the dip.
Any of the ‘nduja brands in the Aperitivo case would work great for this recipe. You just need to let it sit out on the counter for a bit before making the tots.
‘Nduja Tater Tots
Ingredients
For the 'Nduja Tater Tots
- 3 cups thawed shredded potatoes
- 1-2 Tbsp 'Nduja, room temperature
- ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1-2 cups fry oil (canola, vegetable, peanut, corn, etc.)
For the Sizzled Herb Dip
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 4 stalks parsley
- 4 stalks dill
- 2 scallions
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup crème fraîche
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the ‘Nduja Tater Tots
- In a large mixing bowl, add the thawed shredded potatoes. Using a kitchen towel or sturdy paper towel, squeeze out as much water as you can. Pour out excess water and break up the clumps with your hands.
- Add in the ‘nduja, Parm, salt, pepper and cornstarch and mix until well combined.
- Scoop out a tablespoon of the potato mixture and form a “tot” shape with your hands. Make a cylinder shape using the closed, rolled-up fingers of one hand (like you are making a pretend telescope with your fingers and hand,) and the pointer finger and thumb of your opposite hand to form the top and bottom of the tot.
- Set the tots on a plate or small sheet tray and repeat until all the potato mixture has been formed into tots. Place the plate or tray in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
- While the tots are in the freezer, pour oil into a heavy bottom pot and bring the temperature up to 375°F.
- After 10 minutes, remove the tots from the freeze. Gently drop a few tots in the hot oil and fry until golden brown all over, about 4 minutes. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon and pour onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet or a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all the tots are fried.
- Transfer to a serving platter and serve with Sizzled Herb Dip.
For the Sizzled Herb Dip
- In a medium pan, add oil and heat over medium heat. Remove leaves and fronds from the herb stalks. Chop the leaves and set in a medium mixing bowl. Mince the herb stems and the scallions and add to the hot oil.
- Gently fry the herb stems until fragrant and sizzled, about 5 minutes. Pour oil and herbs into a glass jar or bowl to let cool.
- To the mixing bowl with the chopped herb leaves, add the yogurt, crème fraîche, lemon juice, and chopped herbs. Add a dash of salt and pepper, taste and adjust if needed.
- In a small serving bowl, add the yogurt mixture and swirl fried herb oil over the top.
Notes
Sizzled herb oil and yogurt mixture can be made 3 days ahead of time. Store separated in the fridge.
‘Nduja and Butternut Squash Ravioli with Maple Brown Butter and Crispy Speck
Butternut squash ravioli with brown butter and sage seems to appear on almost every fall menu, and for good reason – it’s delicious. This ubiquitous fall classic gets an Aperitivo twist by incorporating ‘nduja, maple butter and speck.
We’ve been using every excuse to eat all the Ploughgate Creamery cultured butter as we can. It is rich and tangy, and the maple version adds a subtle sweetness and smokiness to the sauce for this pasta.
The pasta element in this dish takes the (genius) technique from pasta artist Linda Miller Nicholson, who makes beautiful pasta by blending colorful ingredients with the eggs before making the dough. The ‘nduja adds a beautiful orange hue to the dough and is also incorporated in the filling. If making pasta dough from scratch isn’t your thing, don’t worry! Just make the ‘nduja-spiked squash filling and use store-bought wonton wrappers as the ravioli dough.
If you’ve ever purchased a butternut squash, you know that two are rarely the same size. You may need to adjust the filling ingredients based on the size of your squash. And if you’ve ever made ravioli before, you know that you almost always have leftover filling. But don’t toss out that tasty mixture. Thin it out with stock and make soup, stir into mac and cheese or spread on corn tortillas with black beans and cheese for autumn enchiladas.
‘Nduja and Butternut Squash Ravioli with Maple Brown Butter and Crispy Speck
Serves 4
PASTA DOUGH
- 3 tablespoons ‘nduja
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons “00” flour
- Cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting
FILLING
- 1 small butternut squash, sliced in half, lengthwise
- 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- ½ cup hand labeled ricotta, drained
- 2 – 3 tablespoons ‘nduja, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
ASSEMBLY
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 6 large slices La Querica Speck
- 6 tablespoons Ploughgate Maple Butter
- 1 cup starchy pasta water
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- Salt, pepper and more Parm to season/garnish
Pasta Dough Instructions
Blend the ‘nduja, eggs and hot water in a blender until smooth, then pour into a bowl of a stand mixer. Add the flour and mix with a paddle attachment until dough comes together. Remove from bowl onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is elastic and silky, about 3 minutes. Set in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. (If using at later date, dough will keep wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days.)
Divide the ball of dough into 4 pieces, keeping the pieces covered when not in use. Using a pasta roller or attachment on it’s thickest setting, pass one of the pieces of dough through the machine. Fold the dough sheet into thirds (like folding a letter for an envelope) and pass through the machine again. Repeat 2-3 more times.
Adjust the machine to the next thinnest setting and pass dough sheet through. Continue to reduce the thickness and pass the dough through until the desired thickness is achieved (setting 4 or 5 on a KitchenAid stand mixer pasta attachment)
Keep pasta sheets under a damp kitchen towel on a sheet pan dusted with cornmeal or semolina flour until ready to use. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
If you don’t yet have a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, check out this great article from our friends at BetterFood.co to help find the perfect standmixer for your kitchen.
Filling Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Drizzle squash halves with salt, pepper and olive oil and lay cut-side down on a baking sheet. Wrap the garlic cloves in aluminum foil and place on the same sheet pan. Roast for 45 – 65 minutes, until squash is tender and garlic cloves are soft and sweet.
Scoop the squash into a bowl and mash until smooth. Remove the garlic cloves from their paper and mix with the squash. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and stir until smooth. Set aside until ready to fill pasta.
Ravioli Assembly
Lay a sheet of pasta dough on a clean, flat surface. Scoop or pipe about 1 tablespoon of squash filling in a row about 1 ½ inch apart. Lightly brush water around each of the dots of the filling, and place another sheet of pasta on top. Gently press the top sheet of dough around each of the dots of filling to seal each ravioli. Cut into squares using a fluted pasta cutter or a knife. Set on a sheet pan lined with cornmeal or semolina flour and repeat with remaining dough and filling. Let pasta rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) before boiling.
*If using wonton wrappers, place a wonton wrapper on a clean, flat surface. Brush edges lightly with water. Place about 1 tablespoon of the squash mixture in the middle of the wonton. Cover with a second wonton wrapper and press gently with fingers to seal edges. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers and squash mixture until all have been used.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once at a rolling boil, add a handful of salt to the water. Gently drop the ravioli into the water and let boil 3 – 4 minutes, then remove from pot. Boil in batches if pot seems crowded. Keep 1 cup of pasta water to use for the sauce.
Sauce Instructions
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add walnuts and toast until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Pour out onto a cutting board and coarsely chop. Wipe out pan and return to heat.
Add slices of speck and cook on each side until bright red and crispy, about 3 minutes. Place on a paper towel-lined plate until ready to use.
Return pan to stove and lower heat. Add the butter and let melt and become foamy. Cook until butter is amber in color and smells sweet and nutty. Turn off the heat and add the 1 cup of pasta water. Stir until the sauce starts to thicken.
Add the cooked raviolis to the sauté pan and toss gently to coat the pasta in the sauce, then season with salt and pepper.
Place a few raviolis onto each plate, spooning some brown butter over the top. Tear the speck into pieces and scatter onto the plates. Top with the chopped walnuts, parsley and grated parm.
‘Nduja Honey Butter
If you haven’t been exposed to ‘Nduja yet, get ready for your world to be rocked. Seriously.
This spicy, spreadable salami comes from the Calabria region of Italy but is available from some of our favorite American charcutiers – La Quercia and Nduja Artisans. Chunks of prosciutto and speck are ground together with spices and Calabrian chiles, giving nduja an unmistakable porky, spicy and tangy flavor. It might be one of the most versatile ingredients sold in the Aperitivo meat case – we use it in vinaigrettes, serve alongside burrata, stuff into dates and spread on the ever-popular Hot Calabrian sandwich.
At home, a scoop of nduja can do wonders for sauteed peppers and onions, makes an amazing pizza topping, is the best secret ingredient in carbonara and this… ‘Nduja Honey Butter.
Creamy, salty, sweet and spicy, this butter is insane with no limits on how to use it – a generous smear on a breakfast sandwich, tossed with zucchini noodles, rubbed on salmon before roasting… the possibilities are endless.
This recipe can be easily scaled up or down. Only have half a package, use half a stick of butter! Don’t want it to be too spicy? Use less ‘nduja. We are big fans of cultured butter here at Aperitivo, but no need to use here. Regular unsalted butter works just fine. Save your fancy butter for when it should be just about the butter.
‘Nduja Honey Butter
Ingredients
- 1 package 'nduja – try La Quercia or 'Nduja Artisan
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp honey, plus more to taste – try Sleeping Bear Dunes
Instructions
- Allow the butter and 'nduja to sit out and come to room temperature. (The butter will take longer).
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the 'nduja, butter, and honey until combined. Taste, then add additional honey or salt if needed.
- Eat with a spoon directly out of the bowl, or store in the fridge in an airtight container. Let come up to room temperature for easier spreading.