Pork Belly ’Nduja Stuffed Dates
This is a fun snack, inspired by the snacking and tapas culture of Spain, with a slight Italian twist: spicy, sweet and delicious. Dates are filled with ’nduja, a spicy, spreadable salami from Calabria, Italy.In the restaurant, we toss them on the grill until crispy and a bit charred. At home you can cook them in a cast-iron pan or just warm them in the oven with a bit of olive oil.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork belly, seasoned with salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons Calabrian chile or dry chile flakes, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
- 60 pitted dates
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Instructions
- Cover the seasoned pork belly with foil in a small sheet tray or pan and roast at 300° for 2 hours or until very tender, almost falling apart. Remove the lid or cover and let cool at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
- When the pork belly is cool, cut it into small pieces and then finely mince, or if you have a stand mixer, mix with the paddle attachment until smooth.
- Once you have a smooth pâté of pork belly, add the chile, salt, paprika, garlic and mix very well. Taste and adjust your seasoning as you like.
- Slice open the dates carefully with a knife. Then very carefully using a small spoon, fill the dates with a bit of the ’nduja and chill until you are ready to cook.
- Once cooked, just finish the dates with a splash of a nice extra virgin olive oil.
- Any leftover ’nduja can easily be frozen or spread on crackers with some nice Manchego cheese.
Notes
Photo by Doug Young
The recipe originally appeared in the Winter 2023 issue.
