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Rigatoni alla Zozzona

Rigatoni alla Zozzona

This Roman mash-up of carbonara and Amatriciana is, as Claudia Rinaldi describes it, “a dirty mess of delicious stuff.”

By Courtney HillAugust 9, 2023

  • Makes
    4 to 6 servings
  • Cook Time
    40 minutes
  • Rating

Rigatoni alla zozzona is a classic Roman pasta dish—a mashup of cheesy, porky, egg-rich carbonara and spicy, tomatoey Amatriciana. At Mamma Angelina, a trattoria in Rome, chef Andrea Dell’Omo taught us his version. The sauce requires only a handful of simple ingredients, almost no knifework and comes together speedily. It begins with spicy Italian sausage and cured pork cooked in olive oil; Dell’Omo used guanciale (pork jowl), but pancetta is equally good and easier to source. Canned crushed tomatoes simmer into a savory-sweet sauce. Eggs beaten with pecorino and a little reserved pasta water are added at the end; gentle residual heat cooks everything just enough so it has a rich velvetiness.

Tip

Don’t boil the pasta until al dente. Drain it when it’s just shy of al dente, as it will finish cooking directly in the sauce. Also, be sure to reserve some of the cooking water before draining the pasta; you will need it to make the sauce. Finally, don’t add the ¼ cup reserved pasta water to the egg mixture before the water has had a chance to cool slightly. If it’s scalding hot, it will curdle the eggs.

Ingredients
  • 1

    pound rigatoni

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 3

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve

  • 4

    ounces pancetta or guanciale, chopped

  • 8

    ounces hot Italian sausage, casings removed

  • 1

    14½-ounce can crushed tomatoes (1½ cups)

  • 1

    large egg, plus 2 large egg yolks

  • 1

    ounce finely grated pecorino Romano cheese (½ cup), plus more to serve

Step 1

In a large pot over medium-high, bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente. Reserve about 2 cups of the pasta cooking liquid, then drain; set aside.

Step 2

In the same pot over medium-high, combine 1 tablespoon oil and the pancetta. Cook, stirring, until it has rendered some of its fat and begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces, until browned, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the pancetta-sausage mixture to a small bowl; set aside.

Step 3

Into the pancetta-sausage mixture in the pot, stir the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium and cook, stirring, until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, then the pasta. Cook, stirring and tossing, until the pasta is al dente, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the egg and yolks, pecorino, 1 teaspoon pepper and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water.

Step 4

Remove the pot from the heat. Add the egg mixture and reserved pancetta-sausage mixture. Stir until the sauce thickens slightly and clings to the pasta, about 2 minutes. If needed, add reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time to adjust the consistency. Taste and season with salt. Serve sprinkled with additional pepper and cheese and drizzled with additional oil.

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