Description
A flavorful and comforting pasta dish featuring spicy nduja, tender spring greens, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping. This easy-to-make meal combines the warmth of slow-fried shallots and garlic with the tang of lemon juice and the richness of parmesan, delivering a perfectly balanced and satisfying dinner option.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sauce
- 200g long pasta (tagliatelle recommended)
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 small banana shallots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 20g nduja
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 200g spring greens, finely shredded
- ½ lemon, juiced
Topping
- 25g breadcrumbs
- 10g parsley, finely chopped
- 15g parmesan, finely grated
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain the pasta thoroughly.
- Prepare the shallot base: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped shallots along with a pinch of salt. Fry gently for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened but not browned.
- Add garlic and nduja: Stir in the chopped garlic, nduja, and tomato purée. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the tomato purée starts to caramelise slightly and the nduja is well incorporated.
- Cook the greens: Mix in the shredded spring greens, add a splash of water and the lemon juice. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the greens have wilted and the mixture is well combined.
- Prepare breadcrumb topping: In a separate pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to coat them evenly. Toast the breadcrumbs for about 3 minutes until golden brown, then remove from heat and stir in the chopped parsley, grated parmesan, and a pinch of seasoning.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Return to the pan with the greens and add the drained pasta. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky sauce that coats the pasta evenly. Adjust seasoning and add extra lemon juice to taste.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and generously scatter over the breadcrumb topping to add texture and flavor. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Reserving pasta water helps to loosen the sauce and bind it to the pasta perfectly.
- Adjust the amount of nduja depending on how spicy you prefer the dish.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute nduja with a mix of sautéed mushrooms and smoked paprika for a similar smoky flavor.
- Use freshly grated parmesan for the best flavor and melting quality.
- Toast the breadcrumbs carefully to avoid burning and achieve the ideal crunch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: nduja pasta, spring greens pasta, spicy Italian pasta, tagliatelle recipe, quick pasta dish, easy dinner, Italian sausage pasta
