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Pasta alla Zozzona.

Pasta alla Zozzona

Author: Celeste
Pasta alla Zozzona is a traditional Roman pasta dish that's rich, meaty, and covered in a silky egg yolk based sauce. It's simple to make and its flavor payoff is unmatched!
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Prep Time 22 minutes
Cook Time 38 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 12 oz (340 g) rigatoni or elicoidali pasta
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 4 oz (113 g) guanciale finely diced*
  • 10 oz (283 g) spicy Italian sausage 2 sausage links, casings removed
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup (56 g) freshly grated pecorino romano packed
  • Freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 cup (250 ml) tomato passata
  • cup (18 g) basil leaves packed

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
  • Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and translucent.
  • Add the guanciale and cook until it starts to brown. While it's cooking, chop up the Italian sausage.
  • When the guanciale starts to brown, add the spicy Italian sausage and break it up further with a wooden spoon. Cook until all the meat has browned.
  • While the meat is cooking, generously salt the boiling water then cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions.
  • Once the meat has browned, turn the heat down to low and add the tomato passata. Tear up the basil and stir it into the sauce. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.
  • Once the pasta is al dente, reserve 1 cup (250 ml) of pasta water and drain the pasta.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, pecorino, a generous amount of freshly cracked pepper, and ¼ cup (60 ml) of pasta water. Whisk until a loose paste forms.
  • Add the pasta to the tomato sauce and toss until coated. Turn off the heat and add the egg yolk mixture. Quickly toss everything around until a rich, creamy sauce forms. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more pasta water.
  • Serve immediately with freshly grated pecorino, cracked black pepper, and basil (optional).

Notes

  • Guanciale: If you can find any, we recommend getting pre-cut guanciale to cut back on prep time. For substitutions, the best alternative is pancetta.
  • Serves 4-6 depending on how big your portions are.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 968kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 60g | Sodium: 961mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g
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