From Calabria with Heat
There are two kinds of ’nduja.
The kind that adds smoky, fiery depth to your cooking and quietly ruins supermarket sausage forever. And the kind that comes shrink-wrapped in sad plastic, sweating on a shelf and tasting of little more than regret.
We stock the first kind. The only kind that matters.
At Mercato Pronto, we source our ’nduja from the Fiamingo family, who’ve been curing salame on the northern slope of Monte Poro since 1999. But really, it goes further back. The craft began in the 1950s with father Tommaso — known locally as “U Lisciu” — and has stayed in the family ever since.
What is ’Nduja, Exactly?
Spicy Calabrian spreadable salame.
Fire-red. Silky soft. Packed with local pork and sun-dried Calabrian chillies. It spreads like pâté, but hits like a hot knife to the taste buds. Smoky. Tangy. Deep. A little funky in the best way. It melts beautifully into hot dishes, wakes up bland leftovers, and does something obscene to warm bread.
Why the Real Stuff Matters
The problem with most ’nduja in the UK?
It’s made fast. It’s packed with preservatives. And it’s more red dye than red chilli.
The Fiamingos do things differently. Their small workshop in Spilinga takes full advantage of the local microclimate, that perfect balance of sea breeze and mountain air that lets the salame dry slowly and safely. They use no preservatives. Just well-raised pork, locally grown Calabrian chillies, salt, and time.
The result? A flavour that shouts as it smoulders.
How to Use It Without Overthinking
Here’s the beauty of proper ’nduja. You don’t need to be clever with it. You just need to let it in.
Stir a spoonful into tomato sauce for pasta that actually tastes like something
Melt it into scrambled eggs for breakfast.
Swipe it onto warm focaccia and call it dinner
Dot it across a pizza just before baking
Mellow it with honey and drizzle over grilled veg or baked ricotta
If you’re feeling generous, spread it on crusty bread, pour a glass of something sharp and white, and share. Or don’t. No judgment.
Final Thought
Good ’nduja doesn’t need much of an introduction. You open the jar, and it introduces itself.
