Pasta alla Zozzona (A Roman Classic)

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Pasta alla Zozzona is a traditional Roman dish that combines three incredible classic dishes in one. Yup, Amatriciana, Carbonara and Cacio e Pepe come together to create an incredibly rich and delicious pasta.

Rigatoni pasta with zozzona sauce in a blue and white patterned bowl sitting on a wooden table.
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When I first heard of Pasta alla Zozzona I thought, no, surely this isn’t a thing? It turns out it very much is ‘a thing’ and it’s absolutely delicious.

Zozzona translates as ‘filthy or dirty’ and probably refers to how incredibly rich this dish is. It really is a combination of everything. You’ve got guanciale, Italian sausage, white wine, onion then there’s egg yolks and lots of pecorino cheese in for good measure too.

Phew, it’s a lot and it’s not something you’ll likely have on a weekly rotation but it’s one of those rich and indulgent dishes that you’ve just got to try.

It’s perfect for a cosy in night with a glass of wine if you ask me. See the full recipe below and enjoy!

Ingredients

An overhead shot of all the ingredients needed to make pasta alla zozzona.

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Ingredient notes and substitutions

  • Pasta – we used rigatoni but any short pasta shape will do.
  • Guanciale – you can use pancetta instead.
  • Italian sausage – use mild Italian sausages.
  • Passata – you can also use good quality chopped tomatoes like Mutti Polpa.
  • Pecorino – although I highly recommend using Pecorino Romano for this you can use Parmigiano Reggiano instead.
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Visual walk-through of the recipe

See our step-by-step photos below to give you a visual representation of the recipe. The full written recipe with our top tips can be found in the recipe card below.

  1. Fry the guanciale – fry the guanciale until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon. Pour most of the guanciale fat into a ramekin and set aside (photo 1).
  2. Saute onion – add the chopped onion and sausage to the pan and saute until the onion is soft and translucent and the sausage is browned (photo 2).
Four photos in a collage showing how to make pasta alla zozzona with guanciale, sausage, onion and tomato.
  1. Add guanciale back – add 2/3 of the guanciale back to the pan and add the white wine. Reduce the wine for about 2 minutes then add the passata (tomato puree). Simmer the sauce while your pasta cooks (photos 3 and 4).
  2. Mix egg mixture – while the pasta and sauce are cooking whisk the egg yolks with grated pecorino and a generous amount of black pepper. When you have a thick paste loosen it slightly with the guanciale fat (can also use pasta water) (photos 6 and 7).
Four photos in a collage showing how to add an egg yolk mixture to pasta alla zozzona.
  1. Add pasta and egg – when the pasta is al dente, add it to the sauce and toss to combine. Turn off the heat then add the egg yolk mixture and stir it through. Serve the pasta in bowls with more Pecorino cheese and remaining guanciale (photo 8).
A close up of pasta alla zozzona on a fork.

More classic Roman dishes to try

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Pasta alla Zozzona

5 from 1 vote

By Emily

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 – 6 servings
Pasta alla Zozzona is a traditional Roman dish that combines three incredible classic dishes in one. Yup, Amatriciana, Carbonara and Cacio e pepe come together to create an incredibly rich and delicious pasta.
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Ingredients

  • 14 oz (400g) Rigatoni, or other short pasta
  • 5.3 oz (150g) guanciale, cut into cubes or strips, (about 1.5 cups) can also use pancetta
  • 5.3 oz (150g) Italian sausages, removed from their casings (about 1 large sausage or 2 small)
  • 1 white onion
  • ¼ cup (60ml) white wine
  • 14 oz (400g) passata (tomato puree US)
  • 1.5 oz (40g) Pecorino Romano
  • 3 egg yolks
  • Salt and black pepper

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.
  • Meanwhile, add the pancetta to a large pan on a medium heat and fry until crispy. Remove the guanciale from the pan and pour the guanciale fat into a ramekin, set aside.
  • Next, add the sausages and finely chopped onion to the pan and saute them both until the onion is translucent and the sausage has browned. Add, ⅔ of the guanciale back to the pan and reserve the rest for topping.
  • Add the white wine and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes to let it reduce. Add the passata (tomato puree) and bring to a simmer. Turn down to a medium-low heat and let it cook for 10 minutes.
  • While the sauce is cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook it until al dente. When the pasta is done your sauce will be ready for the final step.
  • Add the egg yolks to a bowl and whisk them together. Add the cheese and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and whisk with a fork to a thick paste.
  • Add the remaining guanciale fat to the egg yolks and mix together. If you don’t want to do this you can skip this step just make sure to loosen the egg mixture with reserved pasta water.
  • Turn the sauce off the heat and add the cooked pasta to the tomato sauce and toss to combine. Add the egg yolk mixture and mix it into the pasta sauce until thoroughly combined.
  • Serve in bowls topped with reserved crispy guanciale and more Pecorino.

Notes

  • Don’t throw out your egg whites – egg whites can be frozen and used to make delicious savoury or sweet dishes. Why not use them to make these traditional Tuscan cookies called Ricciarelli or our soft Amaretti cookies?
  • Leftovers – the pasta is best served immediately when it tastes its best but you can refrigerate it for 1-2 days and reheat it on the stovetop. You may need to add a splash of water to help loosen the sauce.

Helpful Info for All Recipes

  • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
  • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
  • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
  • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
  • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
  • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
  • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 511mg | Potassium: 563mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 497IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 1 vote

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4 Comments

  1. Elizabeth says:

    What kind of white wine is used for Pasta Alla Zozzona thank u

    1. Emily says:

      Hi Elizabeth, we tend to stick to an Italian white such as Orvieto, Pinot Grigio, Verdicchio or Gavi. It doesn’t need to be expensive but still good enough to drink (i.e no cooking wine) ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Penelope Dening says:

    Very straight forward to do and utterly delicious. Not for every day perhap, but, if you keep guanciale in the freezer (which I do) itโ€™s very useful for emergencies as everything else is store cupboard5 stars

    1. Emily says:

      We often have guanciale and pancetta in the freezer too, such a great tip. Thanks so much Penelope, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚