Pasta

Ziti alla Zozzona

February 22, 2024

Pasta alla zozzona is a pasta dish that combines the four traditional roman pastas: cacio e pepe (pecorino and black pepper), carbonara (egg yolks, guanciale, pecorino, and black pepper), amatriciana (spicy tomatoes, guanciale, pecorino, and black pepper), and gricia (guanciale, pecorino, and black pepper), PLUS the addition of spicy sausage.

This “kitchen sink” pasta dish is the antithesis of your typical traditional Roman pasta in that it throws simplicity and restraint out the door. Before trying zozzona, I thought the spicy sausage felt like an unnecessary addition considering we were already using guanciale. However, after tasting it I can confirm both pork products are equally necessary.

I was drawn to the idea of this pasta sauce because I thought it would be perfect for a baked ziti for my Galentine’s Day Pasta Party. The benefit of doing a baked pasta dish while entertaining is that its very hands-off. Instead of cooking the pasta and tossing in the sauce in the middle of the party right before serving, do that ahead of time and just pop it in the oven 30 min before you’re ready to eat. This pasta dish in particular is quite involved since you’re tempering egg yolks and then emulsifying them into your finished pasta. Now I will say that I prefer the regular version of this pasta dish over the baked version. You lose some of the silky creaminess from the emulsifed egg yolks in the baking process, but what you get in return is a crispy crunchy rich and delicious baked ziti.

Ziti alla Zozzona

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Ingredients

4 oz guanciale, chopped into fine matchsticks
1/2 lb hot Italian sausage
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 parmesan rind, optional
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbsp chopped Calabrian chilis
1 lb dried tubular pasta
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
olive oil

Instructions

First make the red sauce: Heat a large dutch oven over medium low heat. Add the guanciale to the cold pan along with a splash of olive oil and cook until the fat has rendered out and pork is golden brown. Turn off the heat and remove the guanciale from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour the pork fat into a separate container, leaving behind about a tbsp, and set aside.
Heat the same pan over medium-high. Break up the ground sausage into 2-3 inch pieces and sear in the pan until the outsides are golden brown and caramelized. Break up the ground meat into a fine mince. Transfer sausage into the same bowl as the guanciale and set aside.
Return the same pan to medium-high heat and add the onion along with a tbsp of the pork fat and a pinch of salt (but not too much because the pork and cheese are already very salty). Scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pan as they cook. Once onions are soft and translucent, add the garlic. Cook for another 60 seconds or so. Add the tomato paste and additional pork fat if needed. Cook until tomato paste has caramelized and begins sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Add the hand crushed tomatoes, Calabrian chilis, sausage and guanciale into the pan. Mix to combine and bring to a gentle boil then reduce to a low simmer. Add a parmesan rind if using. Simmer, partially covered, for 30-45 minutes stirring every 5 minutes being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so it does not scorch. When sauce is done simmering, remove the parm rind and taste for seasoning.
Next cook the pasta al dente in boiling salted water about 2 minutes shy of package directions. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta directly into the red sauce and save the pasta water. Simmer the pasta in the red sauce for about 2 minutes.
For the egg mixture. In a large heat safe bowl combine egg yolks, cheese, and lots of fresh cracked black pepper. Whisk to combine. Gradually add about 1/4 cup of hot pasta water into the egg mixture, whisking continuously. This will temper the eggs so they don't scramble in the sauce.
Taste the pasta for doneness. Simmer for longer if it's still undercooked, adding more pasta water as needed. Once the pasta is fully cooked, turn off the heat and immediately pour in the egg mixture. Toss to combine, adding more pasta water as needed. The consistency should be slightly loose as it will tighten as it sits.
To serve, top with more pecorino and fresh cracked black pepper.
If making BAKED Ziti alla Zozzona, follow the same instructions with the following adjustments:
- reduce pasta cooking time as it will continue to cook in the oven
- add extra pasta water to the combined pasta and sauce mixture as it will tighten up in the oven
- transfer to a baking dish and top with a thin layer of shredded mozzarella and pecorino cheese and bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes. For an extra crispy top, broil after baking.

5 based on 16 reviews

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Made this today for a small dinner party I’m hosting! I love that I could make it ahead of time and then pop it in the over when they arrive – as an anxious host, this recipe was such a dream!!!!!

Very very good pasta dish!!! I loved the different flavors that this pasta had. Will definitely make again. I think I may try adding more cheese and one more egg yolk like others suggested. I skipped adding any additional salt and it was definitely salty enough.

I made a comical amount of errors while making this (too much sausage, cooked pasta too early, forgot to save pasta water) and it still turned out sooo well. I can’t wait to make it again now that I will know what I’m doing!

Insane! I did this with GF pasta and it slapped. I also couldn’t find guanciale on MDW and did pancetta and it was still amazing

This was SO GOOD! I accidentally got prosciutto instead of guanciale because I wasn’t paying attention at the fancy cheese store, but guess what? It was still delicious and I had to sit on my hands to keep myself from eating the whole thing. Will deffo make this again (but with guanciale) oh! If you did make the same mistake as me and get prosciutto, I would either cook it at the very beginning for barely any time at all or only when you re-add the meat. But hopefully if you’re the kind of person that reads comments you are also the kind of person who would not get distracted in the fancy cheese store and get the wrong meat. But what do I know? I’ve never even written a review on a website before, in fact I subscribed to this substack so I could comment and I’m still basking in the hangover of my freshly eaten pasta that is how good it was. Okay sorry I rambled, but thank you for this recipe.

Not to be dramatic, but it was said tonight that this pasta was better than anything had in an Italian restaurant…so definitely a win 🥇

This was an insane dish and was such a success – I’ve been wanting to try it ever since watching the dinner party episode and it did not disappoint. The sauce was so velvety and rich and it’s easily my new top pasta dish. I followed the recipe very closely (which was hard as I am usually an eyeballer!) and it worked perfectly. Thanks Meredith! <3

Delish pasta!!! Tastes very similar to vodka pasta, the creaminess provided by the egg isntead of cream. A labor of love but with a great outcome. Will try anything Meredith recommends. Love you girl!!!

Stunning recipe!! It was not a crazy amount of work, but the result was so tasty and unique. Loved the richness from the egg and cheese – I did add one more egg yolk and more cheese than initially called for to make it even creamier. Will make again! So good I ate the leftover for breakfast the next day