No-guilt ’Nduja from Belazu.
Ve-Du-Ya won’t be a familiar name, but find it on a supermarket shelf and it will likely look like a favourite spicy and meaty paste. It does share many tasty characteristics with traditional ’nduja but this one has no animal products.
But to start with – what is ’nduja? It is a spicy, spreadable pork sausage paste from Calabria in Southern Italy. It’s made with various cuts of meat from the head of a pig. Doesn’t sound enticing but it is delicious when chilli peppers are added for warming spice. ’Nduja is often served with slices of bread but it has a host of culinary possibilities in each jar – and so has its meatless offspring, Ve-Du-Ya.
Ve-Du-Ya has so much of the appeal of the traditional spread and all the same versatility. Try it on a corner of toast to appreciate the potential. It was originally created for Pizza Pilgrims and is made from the same fermented Calabrian chillies as the classic ‘nduja paste.
Enjoy ripples of both colour and chilli heat
So, aside from on bread, how would one use Ve-Du-Ya? I love this with melted butter (or vegan alternative) as a dressing for pasta. It makes a light and flavourful dinner, and fast too! Mix with mayo to add punch to sandwiches and burgers – vegan or otherwise. Add to hummus for a full-flavour dip. This is addictive when stirred through scrambled eggs. Add in at the end so one can enjoy ripples of both colour and chilli heat. Cold weather will soon be with us, and stews and casseroles will be in order. Just a spoonful of Ve-Du-Ya will add hearty seasoning. A real winter warmer to please everybody whatever their dietary preferences.
Ve-Du-Ya from Belazu is a spread, ingredient, dip for the whole family. Vegans no longer miss out and carnivores won’t feel short-changed.
Ve-Du-Ya is available at Waitrose and Ocado.