Zozzona translates roughly to "filthy" in Roman dialect — an affectionate term for something gloriously over-the-top. The dish lives up to the name. It is a deliberate mash-up of carbonara, amatriciana, and gricia in one pan — guanciale, sausage, tomato, egg yolks, and cheese, all the things that make Rome's classic pastas brilliant, piled into one bowl with no apology.
It is not subtle. It is not refined. That is the point.
Ingredients
- 125 g Guanciale, thinly sliced
- 200 g Italian sausage meat, or Cumberland, casings removed
- 3 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
- 300 g Tomato passata, or blended peeled plum tomatoes
- 2 Eggs, yolks only
- 75 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- 150 g Rigatoni
- 10 leaves (5g) Fresh basil, torn
- 20 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated, to finish
Equipment
Cut the guanciale into thin lardons, roughly 3mm thick. Grate the cheese finely. Combine the cheese, egg yolks, and black pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
Put the guanciale into a cold, wide saucier pan and set it over medium heat. Let the fat render slowly until the meat crisps.
Lift the crispy guanciale out with a slotted spoon and set aside for the garnish. Spoon 3/4 of the rendered fat into a small bowl and leave it to cool — this goes into the egg mixture later.
Add the sausage meat to the pan with the remaining fat. Break it into a mince consistency and let it brown over medium heat. The more colour you build here, the deeper the finished sauce — be patient.
Add the sliced garlic only when the sausage is fully browned and stir for one minute. Keep it moving so it softens and turns fragrant but does not colour — browned garlic turns bitter and the bitterness will follow the dish all the way to the plate.
Pour in the passata and stir to combine, scraping up the fond from the base of the pan. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 20 minutes until thickened and glossy.
Fill a large saucepan with water, season generously with salt, and bring to the boil. Drop the rigatoni in ten minutes into the sauce’s simmer. Cook to one minute less than the packet time — the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce.
Stir the cooled guanciale fat into the egg-cheese mixture. While the pasta cooks, ladle a tablespoon of pasta water into the yolks and whisk fast. Repeat three more times to bring the temperature up gradually.
Lift the pasta straight into the saucier pan with the sauce. Save a mug of pasta water first. Simmer everything together for the final minute so the pasta drinks up flavour.
Pull the pan off the heat. Pour the tempered yolk mixture over the pasta and stir immediately and constantly until glossy and emulsified. Loosen with a splash of pasta water if it tightens up.
Taste for seasoning — the cheese and guanciale carry most of it, so go gently. Serve into warmed bowls, scatter over the reserved crispy guanciale, torn basil, and extra grated cheese.
Notes & Substitutions
Pecorino vs Parmesan: Traditional Roman pastas lean on Pecorino Romano for its sharper, saltier punch. Parmesan is softer and rounder. Both work — Pecorino is more authentic, Parmesan more forgiving if you are nervous about salt levels.
Sausage: Italian sausage (fennel-spiked) is the traditional choice. Good Cumberland works well too — just check the seasoning isn’t too sage-heavy, which can fight the tomato.
Pasta shape: Rigatoni is the classic. Mezzi rigatoni, paccheri, or tortiglioni all work. You want something with ridges and hollows to hold the sauce.
Tomato: Good passata is fine. If using whole tinned plum tomatoes, blend or crush them before adding — you want a smooth sauce, not chunks.
Serve immediately: This dish does not hold or reheat well. The egg yolk sauce tightens as it cools and does not come back together on reheating. Cook it, serve it, eat it.
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Pasta alla Zozzona
COOKED
PROPERLY
Ingredients
- 125 g Guanciale (thinly sliced)
- 200 g Italian sausage meat (or Cumberland, casings removed)
- 3 cloves Garlic (thinly sliced)
- 300 g Tomato passata (or blended peeled plum tomatoes)
- 2 Eggs (yolks only)
- 75 g Pecorino Romano (finely grated)
- Black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)
- 150 g Rigatoni
- 10 leaves Fresh basil (torn)
- 20 g Pecorino Romano (finely grated, to finish)
Equipment
- Fine Microplane grater
- Saucier or wide heavy-bottomed pan
- Large saucepan
- Sharp knife
Method
Prep the guanciale and cheese mixture
125 g Guanciale · 2 Eggs · 75 g Pecorino Romano · Black pepper
Cut the guanciale into thin lardons, roughly 3mm thick. Grate the cheese finely. Combine the cheese, egg yolks, and black pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
Render the guanciale
Put the guanciale into a cold, wide saucier pan and set it over medium heat. Let the fat render slowly until the meat crisps.
Keep the heat moderate. High heat scorches the edges before the fat in the centre has rendered, leaving you with burnt strips and chewy fat at the same time.
Set aside the guanciale and save the fat
Lift the crispy guanciale out with a slotted spoon and set aside for the garnish. Spoon 3/4 of the rendered fat into a small bowl and leave it to cool — this goes into the egg mixture later.
Brown the sausage
200 g Italian sausage meat
Add the sausage meat to the pan with the remaining fat. Break it into a mince consistency and let it brown over medium heat. The more colour you build here, the deeper the finished sauce — be patient.
Resist the urge to stir constantly. Let the sausage sit and crust on one side before moving. Stirring lifts it off the pan and steams it instead of browning it.
Add the garlic
3 cloves Garlic
Add the sliced garlic only when the sausage is fully browned and stir for one minute. Keep it moving so it softens and turns fragrant but does not colour — browned garlic turns bitter and the bitterness will follow the dish all the way to the plate.
Build the sauce
300 g Tomato passata
Pour in the passata and stir to combine, scraping up the fond from the base of the pan. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 20 minutes until thickened and glossy.
Cook the pasta
150 g Rigatoni
Fill a large saucepan with water, season generously with salt, and bring to the boil. Drop the rigatoni in ten minutes into the sauce’s simmer. Cook to one minute less than the packet time — the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce.
Around 12g of salt per litre of water is the right amount to season the pasta properly.
Temper the yolks
Stir the cooled guanciale fat into the egg-cheese mixture. While the pasta cooks, ladle a tablespoon of pasta water into the yolks and whisk fast. Repeat three more times to bring the temperature up gradually.
Combine pasta and sauce
Lift the pasta straight into the saucier pan with the sauce. Save a mug of pasta water first. Simmer everything together for the final minute so the pasta drinks up flavour.
Finish with the egg mixture
Pull the pan off the heat. Pour the tempered yolk mixture over the pasta and stir immediately and constantly until glossy and emulsified. Loosen with a splash of pasta water if it tightens up.
If the sauce looks tight or grainy, a splash of reserved pasta water and another vigorous stir will usually bring it back. Do not put the pan back on the heat to “fix” it — that is how scrambled eggs happen.
Taste and serve
10 leaves Fresh basil · 20 g Pecorino Romano
Taste for seasoning — the cheese and guanciale carry most of it, so go gently. Serve into warmed bowls, scatter over the reserved crispy guanciale, torn basil, and extra grated cheese.
Taste the pasta with a piece of guanciale before seasoning further — you may find it is perfectly seasoned already from the salty ingredients.
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