Pasta alla Zozzona

Oh yes — pasta alla zozzona is a rich Roman dish, kind of like a glorious mash-up of amatriciana + carbonara + alla gricia, making it a “dirty” (zozzona means filthy/messy) pasta in the best way. It combines guanciale, sausage, tomato, pecorino, and egg yolk for a super creamy, hearty sauce.

Here’s a traditional-style recipe for you:

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🇮🇹 Pasta alla Zozzona Recipe

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 400g (14 oz) rigatoni (or mezze rigatoni)
• 150g (5 oz) guanciale (or pancetta if unavailable), cut into strips
• 2 fresh Italian sausages, casings removed
• 400g (14 oz) canned peeled tomatoes (or passata)
• 2 egg yolks
• 50g (½ cup) Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, lightly crushed (optional)
• Olive oil (a drizzle)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• (Optional) a pinch of chili flakes for heat

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Instructions

1. Prepare the sauce base

   • In a large pan, cook the guanciale over medium heat until crispy and the fat has rendered. Remove and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
   • Add onion (and garlic if using) to the pan and soften in the guanciale fat.
   • Add the sausage meat, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned.

2. Tomato stage

   • Add the canned tomatoes (crushed by hand or blended lightly).
   • Simmer for about 15 minutes until thickened. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir the guanciale back in.

3. Cook pasta

   • Meanwhile, cook rigatoni in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.

4. Make the creamy finish

   • In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with pecorino and a little black pepper. Add a splash of hot pasta water to loosen.

5. Combine everything

   • Drain the pasta and toss it into the sauce. Mix well.
   • Off the heat, stir in the yolk-pecorino mixture quickly, adding splashes of pasta water as needed to make it creamy and glossy (like a carbonara).

6. Serve

   • Plate immediately with extra pecorino and black pepper.

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👉 The result: Smoky guanciale + juicy sausage + tangy tomato + creamy yolk + sharp pecorino — all coating rigatoni in a luscious, “zozzona” sauce.