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Pasta alla Zozzona

Pasta alla Zozzona is a rich Roman pasta made with sausage, guanciale, eggs, Pecorino Romano, and tomato, bringing together the best parts of carbonara and amatriciana in one bold, comforting dish.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time19 minutes
Total Time29 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pasta
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 611kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound rigatoni or other short pasta like penne or fussili
  • 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups guanciale cut into cubes or strips, pancetta can be used
  • 1 lb Italian sausages removed from their casings, I used a mild chicken sausage
  • 1 small onion chopped I used Sweet onion, or use Vidalia, white, or a shallot
  • ¼ cup white wine use a wine you would actually drink (not cooking wine)
  • 24 ounce jar of passata or use tomato puree
  • ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano plus more for serving
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup reserved starchy pasta water be sure to carefully scoop some out while pasta is boiling
  • ½ teaspoon Sea salt more or less to your taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more or less to your taste

Instructions

Boil

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously. (It should taste like the sea).

Crisp

  1. Meanwhile, add the guanciale to a large pan over medium heat and cook until golden and crispy. Transfer the guanciale to a plate using a slotted spoon, and pour the rendered fat into a small bowl. Set aside.

Sauté

  1. In the same pan, add the sausages and finely chopped onion. Cook until sausage is browned, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Add a small drizzle of olive oil only if the pan looks dry. Add back half of the guanciale and reserve the rest for topping later.

Deglaze

  1. Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 1–2 minutes so it reduces and cooks off the alcohol.

Simmer

  1. Add the passata (tomato purée), bring to a gentle simmer, then lower to medium-low heat and let it cook for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened and rich.

Cook

  1. While the sauce simmers, drop your pasta into the boiling water and cook until perfectly al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.

Whisk

  1. Add the egg yolks to a bowl and whisk. Stir in the Pecorino and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper until you get a thick, creamy paste.

Enrich

  1. Add the reserved guanciale fat to the egg mixture and mix well. (If you’d rather skip this, loosen the mixture with a splash of pasta water instead.I did a combination of some guanciale fat and the starchy pasta water).

Combine

  1. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for about 30–60 seconds to avoid scrambling the eggs. Add the cooked pasta directly to the pan and toss to coat. Pour in the egg yolk mixture and quickly mix until everything becomes glossy and creamy. Add a little pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.

Season

  1. Fold the crispy guanciale back into the pasta. Taste and adjust seasoning, keeping in mind the cheese and guanciale are already salty.

Finish

  1. Serve immediately, topped with the reserved crispy guanciale, extra Pecorino Romano and crushed black pepper on top.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

  • This is a bold, rich Roman pasta. Don’t rush it. The flavor comes from layering, not shortcuts.
  • Use short pasta like rigatoni, penne, or fusilli. The sauce clings better than it does to long pasta.
  • Salt the pasta water well, but season the finished dish lightly. Guanciale and Pecorino are both salty, so you may need less sea salt than expected.
  • Always use freshly ground black pepper. Pre-ground pepper flattens the flavor.
  • Choose a dry white wine you would actually drink. Cooking wine will ruin the balance.
  • Mild chicken sausage keeps the dish rich but not overwhelming. Spicy pork or chicken sausage works if you want more heat.
  • Remove the pan from heat before adding the egg mixture. This step prevents scrambling and keeps the sauce creamy.
  • Starchy pasta water is essential. It helps emulsify the eggs, cheese, and fat into a silky sauce. Add it gradually.
  • Adding some reserved guanciale fat deepens the flavor. If you prefer it lighter, use more pasta water instead.
  • Zozzona is best served immediately. It thickens quickly as it sits and loses its creamy texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 511mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg
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