Turchetti's Recipe Book
AppetizersN'duja Deviled Eggs
Our restaurant only kept about a dozen dishes on the menu full time. These deviled eggs were one of them, and one of our best sellers. Spicy, bright and zesty with Turchetti's Nduja whipped into the filling.
Ingredients
Serves 12Make ahead
Make the Pickled Mustard Seeds at least a few hours before, or the day before. They need time to cool before they go on the eggs, and they keep for weeks in the fridge.
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Made with
What you'll need
How to make it
11 stepsTap a number to mark a step done.
Lay the eggs in a single layer in a pot and add cold water until they're covered by about 1 inch. Set the pot over high heat and bring it to a full boil.
As soon as it boils, turn off the heat, put a lid on the pot and set a timer for 12 minutes. While you wait, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water.
When the timer goes off, lift the eggs into the ice water with a spider or slotted spoon. Let them sit for 10 minutes so they cool all the way through and stop cooking.
Tap each egg on the counter to crack the shell all over, then peel it under cold running water. Eggs that are a week or two old peel much easier than fresh ones. Pat them dry.
Cut each egg in half the long way with a sharp chef's knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts so the edges stay neat. Gently pop the yolks into a bowl and set the whites on a plate, cut side up.
Press the yolks through a drum sieve (tamis) with a bench scraper so they come out fine and fluffy. No tamis? Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, add a few yolks at a time and push them through the mesh with a spoon. Scrape off the yolk stuck to the bottom of the strainer too. This is what makes the filling silky with zero lumps, so don't skip it.
Break the 'Nduja into small pieces and put it in a food processor with the champagne vinegar. Blend until the vinegar is fully worked in and the 'Nduja is as smooth as you can get it, with no lumps. Scrape down the sides once or twice. No food processor? Blend them in a tall cup with an immersion blender, or mash them together in a bowl with a fork, working it until it turns into a smooth paste.
Add about 1/3 of the yolks and 1/4 of the mayo to the 'Nduja and pulse until nice and smooth. Don't overwork it, or the fat in the 'Nduja will break out and the filling will get oily.
Scrape everything into a large bowl. Add the rest of the yolks and mayo and fold them in with a rubber spatula until it's all fully mixed and even in color.
Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and fill it about halfway, then twist the top closed. No piping bag? Spoon the filling into a zip top bag and snip off one corner. Pipe about 1 1/2 tbsp of filling into each egg white, piled up high. Fill to your heart's content, just save enough so every egg gets the same amount.
Finely slice the chives. Top each egg with a small spoonful of Pickled Mustard Seeds and a pinch of chives. Serve right away, or keep them in the fridge until it's time to eat.
