primitivo + ‘nduja
roll out the red carpet for an 'nduja spiced banquet
ITALY PAIRING SERIES #1; try a glass of fruity primitivo with a warming ‘nduja based dish.
The best rule for pairing wine & food is simple: enjoy your wine with food from the same region. Introducing primitivo & ‘nduja.
I’m bending the rule a bit here. ‘Nduja originates from Calabria which is the most Southern part of Italy (the toe of Italy’s boot), and Primitivo’s production heartland is in Puglia (the heel of the boot), but as next door neighbours I feel the same rules apply.
The Power of this Pair is in the P:
Primitivo:
Primitivo is the same grape variety with identical genetics to zinfandel from the US, the only difference being the country it comes from & therefore the style of wine produced. Which came first, the chicken (zinfandel) or the egg (primitivo)? As it turns out, neither. The grape actually originates from the Croatian grape, crljenak kaštelanski (try to pronounce that after a cupful), so it’s actually Croatian born & bred & travelled overseas/renamed in the 1800s - it’s giving long lost identical twins separated at birth & taken to different countries, a primitivo parent trap.
Wherever it’s from, whatever it’s called, a good primitivo wine will be full bodied, higher in alcohol (abv), medium tannin & acidity, & taste sweetly spicy with ripe berry fruit character. Think baking spices like cinnamon & allspice, liquorice, stewed cherries, plums, raspberries & blackberries. Many styles will be oaked too so expect vanilla, a bit of cocoa & wood.
When you’re out shopping for a primitivo, you’re likely to see Primitivo di Manduria on the label. Manduria is a prestigious region in Puglia for making some of the best quality primitivos, so you can purchase comfortably knowing the wine is likely going to be a good buy.
If you see Primitivo di Manduria DOC, even better; the law states that to be labelled DOC (which signifies high-quality, authentic Italian wines) a primitivo has to be at least 13.5% abv & made up of 85% primitivo grape.
If you see Primitivo di Manduria DOC Riserva & your budget allows, you’re in for a treat. These are chefs kiss of primitivos. This wine has to spend at least 2 years ageing, 9 months in oak & be 14% abv, giving you a complex, earthy & rich wine.
Long story short, a primitivo wine is a powerhouse of flavour, body & mouthfeel.
Pork:
What a powerhouse wine needs is a powerhouse food to champion it.
‘Nduja (pronounced….who the hell knows, most say en-doo-ya, some say na-doo-ja. Potato Potarto) is a dry-cured spicy pork paste. It’s bright red from Calabrian chilli peppers & packs a Mike Tyson punch to your dish. Its increasing popularity in the past few years is fully deserved. The flavour, texture & versatility is unique & can fire up even the most simple of meals. It is richly umami but also fruity & hot, so if you like your salami & crispy chilli oils, you’ll love ‘nduja.
If you don’t want to ‘rawdog’ it & eat ‘nduja as it comes - spreading the cold paste over your bruschetta & wonderfully blowing your head off in the process - the best way of cooking it is to fry some in a bit of butter & olive oil for a couple of minutes to awaken the spice & char the flavour, then add your other ingredient(s) into the pan to cook together or pour the ‘nduja laced butter over meat, fish or vegetables. Something to remember is that it will overpower a lot of whatever flavour is beneath it, so serve it with either something bland to jazz it up (dare I say aubergine #unpopularopinion), or something with a strong taste to stand up to it - for example lamb belly, aged goats cheese, but never a delicate sea bass fillet.
The Perfect Pair:
Primitivo & ‘nduja go so well together because of their huge flavours which don’t dominate each other. Think of ‘nduja as your playground bully, give it an inch & it’ll take a mile. Primitivo has the authority to put ‘nduja in it’s place, allowing them both to work together in harmony.
Similar as they may be for having big flavours, their actual flavour profiles are completely different. Primitivo is hearty & bold, ‘nduja is spicy & sour, which keeps your tastebuds guessing and never bored; primitivo’s rich jamminess cuts through ‘nduja‘s tingling spice, the sweet smoke cuts through the fruity heat, the acidity & tannin cuts through the umami fat of the paste. A party for the palate.
Purchasing:
If you want to try, i’d recommend;
*M&S Notte Stellata Primitivo Di Manduria - £12
*Majestic Surani 'Costarossa' Primitivo di Manduria DOC 2022/23, Puglia - £13
*Jeroboams 2022 Cubardi Primitivo, IGT Salento, Schola Sarmenti - £25 (a standout)
*Various places online/The Fine Wine Company: Produttori Di Manduria, Elegia, Primitivo di Manduria Riserva, DOC - £22
Preparing:
Below is a simple ‘nduja recipe which goes great with primitivo (tried, tested & tasted);
Nduja paste - 2tbsps ish
Olive Oil - a good glug
Honey - 1 tbsp
Pork chops - 2
Fennel seeds - 1tsp
Lemon - squeeze plus a generous pinch of zest
Salt & black pepper
Oven on 180C fan
Slice off the fat rind (remove the skin - tough outer layer - if it’s there), season & put on a foil lined baking tray in the oven for 20mins to get some crackling going
Get the oil hot but not smoking in a big frying pan
Season the pork chops with salt & black pepper. Sear on each side - 2 mins each-ish until you have a golden marbling on the meat
Remove chops from the pan & set aside
In the same pan; fry up the ‘nduja & fennel seeds for a 2-3 mins
Add the honey for 1min, plus a squeeze of lemon & the zest
Add the pork chops back into the pan, spoon the ‘nduja mix over the chops & whack them the oven for 5mins-ish depending on the thickness of the chop - the idea is to still have some bounce to the meat when you press it. Pork should always have a slight pink hue to it with the fibres fully set.
Leave chops to rest for 5mins before plating up
Suggestions to serve with - roasted fennel & watercress salad, honey & herb roasted carrots, apple fennel celeriac slaw, smashed crispy new potatoes with feta, & most importantly: a glass of primitivo.
So next time you have friends over or you’re cooking to impress the latest love interest (once you have confirmed they eat meat, a spreadable spicy pork paste slathered over a pork chop is a piece of crispy bacon short of vegetarian/vegans’ worst nightmare), try this pairing & let me know what you make of it, I can guarantee you won’t be sorry.