What exactly is this food with the strange name?

The ‘nduja (you can listen to the pronunciation here: ) grew out of the ancient, healthy belief that no part of the pig should be thrown away. This food, like so many others, began its life as food for the poor in the days when farmers had to give the valuable parts of the pigs to the landowners and they had to take care of the leftovers. Fortunately, this “compulsion” resulted in a very nutritious and even useful food. Given the ingredients, it’s easy to understand why ‘nduja is usually prepared in the winter months. The main ingredient is pork (of course, today this tasty dish is no longer prepared from the animal’s “innards” but from the fatty parts such as thighs, bacon or belly). The meat is minced and then mixed with the other main ingredient, a typical product from Calabria, the red chilli pepper. Of course, a little salt is also added. When the mixture is sufficiently homogeneous and creamy, it’s stuffed into a pig casing and lightly smoked. It’s then matured for three to six months.