~ You can see the pasta glistening ~
When you think of classic, authentic Roman pasta – the usual suspects come to mind. Carbonara, Amatriciana, Gricia, Cacio e Pepe. But there is a fifth Roman pasta that, for some odd reason, is largely unknown. Until now. Pasta alla Zozzona.
I’ve been to Rome dozens of times and eaten all over the city. Never have I seen this on a menu. Yet, it is distinctly Roman and might just be the most succulent dish I’ve made this year. The best thing about it? It’s really, really easy.
~ Step one is simply browning the meat ~
Ingredients – Pasta alla Zozzona
1/2 pound Rummo Rigatoni
1/2 pound mild sausage
4 ounces guanciale
1/4 medium red onion, chopped finely
28 ounces San Marzano DOP tomatoes
3 egg yolks
Salt & Pepper to taste
Pasta alla Zozzona is essentially a combination of Amatriciana and Carbonara. In Roman dialect, the name Zozzona means “dirty”. They feel it’s a mashed up mess. But it’s a delicious mess. Sort of like Sassy and Ted.
~ Wegmans sells San Marzano DOP tomatoes for an absolute song. Last time there, I bought a dozen cans ~
In a pan large enough to hold the finished pasta, slowly render the guanciale. Before the guanciale is finished, add the sausage meat and onion. Stir to combine and set over medium heat. The guanciale won’t burn.
Once the sausage is almost completely brown, add the tomatoes. Toss in a pinch of crushed red pepper if you like. I like! But I kept it moderate because I didn’t want the dish to be too spicy. I wanted to enjoy wine with it.
~ At this point, everything is essentially combined except for the X factor ~
Simmer the sauce on medium low and let the flavors combine. Taste it along the way and let your palate be the judge. You want the tomatoes to break down into a rustic consistency but no longer have that raw flavor. I simmered mine for about an hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the X-Eggs factor. This is what makes the dish. It elevates it to places beyond. Separate your three egg yolks and make a slurry as you would for Carbonara. But, don’t go overboard with the cheese. You want a little pecorino, but you want this to remain a liquid. Add a good dose of black pepper and whisk together with a fork.
~ The slurry for Carbonara is much thicker than this. You want the consistency of cream. ~
When the sauce is ready and the pasta is cooked, drain the pasta into the sauce and stir well to combine for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Then pour the egg yolks into the sauce and stir to combine. The egg yolks will make the sauce turn almost a bright orange and take on a glistening, creamy look and feel. It’s delicious!
~ This is the sauce just before the addition of the egg ~
Plate the dish immediately and pass more pecorino at the table. I can’t recommend enough that you try this. It was a head turner for me. I muttered – where has this been all my life? This September, I will hunt it down in Rome. But honestly, I’m not sure I’ll find it. What about you? Have you ever seen this on a menu in Rome?
~ The finished dish – Rigatoni alla Zozzona ~
The perfect accompaniment to this dish was the tremendous San Lorenzo Rosato. The 2024 San Lorenzo Rosato is 100% Sangiovese. This spends a mere 6 hours in contact with the skin and picks up a lovely deep salmon color. From there, it is vinified in concrete eggs and rests 6 months in barrique before bottling. It’s among my favorite Rosato.
Melon, strawberry, watermelon and peaches on the nose that follow through purely on the palate. Bright, refreshing acidity is wonderful. This has excellent concentration of flavor and an amazing, plush mouthfeel. But there is no flavor impact at all from the barrique. This is primary, juicy and delicious. I’m extremely glad I bought a case. Available directly from the winery. 92 points.
~ A gorgeous Sangiovese that can be purchased only from the winery ~
Stay tuned for more new content coming soon!
