Pasta Alla Zozzona
Pasta alla Zazzona is a rustic Roman-style dish that combines the richness of a tomato base with the depth of cured pork and sausage. Finished with egg yolks and Pecorino Romano, it has the creaminess of carbonara and the heartiness of amatriciana in one bowl. Bold, comforting, and full of character, it’s the kind of pasta that deserves a place at the centre of the table.
Serves
4
Prep time
15 minutes
Cooking time
30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Italian Style Chilli oil or olive oil
- 3 large egg yolks
- 60g finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 100g Guanciale, cut 1/4-inch-thick
- 150g hot Italian sausage, removed from casing
- 1/2 brown onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 2 cups tomato passata
- Basil leaves
- 350g rigatoni
Tips for making Pasta alla Zozzona
- Allow the guanciale and sausage to cook slowly over low heat to release their full flavours and create a rich base for the sauce.
- Whisk a 1/4 cup of hot pasta water to the egg yolks before adding them to the pan. This will help prevent the eggs from scrambling and creates a smooth sauce.
- Once you add the pasta to the sauce, toss everything together immediately to ensure the sauce evenly coats the rigatoni.
Directions
- Cook rigatoni per the packet directions.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and Pecorino cheese together with a fork until a thick paste forms. Season with a few grindings of black pepper and stir in 1/4 cup of pasta water. Set aside.
- Drizzle olive or oil from the Italian Style Chilli into the pan. Add the sausage and use a wooden spoon to break it into pieces as it cooks.
- Add the Guanciale to the pan. Once it turns golden and crispy, add the onion and garlic.
- When the onion becomes translucent, add the passata. Stir gently and cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle fresh basil into the sauce and stir gently. Then, add the cooked pasta together with the egg yolk and Pecorino cheese mixture.
- Stir and toss until the pasta is well coated. Finish by adding more Pecorino cheese and black pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Italian Style Chilli oil or olive oil
- 3 large egg yolks
- 60g finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 100g Guanciale, cut 1/4-inch-thick
- 150g hot Italian sausage, removed from casing
- 1/2 brown onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 2 cups tomato passata
- Basil leaves
- 350g rigatoni
Tips for making Pasta alla Zozzona
- Allow the guanciale and sausage to cook slowly over low heat to release their full flavours and create a rich base for the sauce.
- Whisk a 1/4 cup of hot pasta water to the egg yolks before adding them to the pan. This will help prevent the eggs from scrambling and creates a smooth sauce.
- Once you add the pasta to the sauce, toss everything together immediately to ensure the sauce evenly coats the rigatoni.
Directions
- Cook rigatoni per the packet directions.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and Pecorino cheese together with a fork until a thick paste forms. Season with a few grindings of black pepper and stir in 1/4 cup of pasta water. Set aside.
- Drizzle olive or oil from the Italian Style Chilli into the pan. Add the sausage and use a wooden spoon to break it into pieces as it cooks.
- Add the Guanciale to the pan. Once it turns golden and crispy, add the onion and garlic.
- When the onion becomes translucent, add the passata. Stir gently and cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle fresh basil into the sauce and stir gently. Then, add the cooked pasta together with the egg yolk and Pecorino cheese mixture.
- Stir and toss until the pasta is well coated. Finish by adding more Pecorino cheese and black pepper.
Helpful Tips
Storage
Substitutions
Serving Suggestions
Watch How to Make It
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