The fifth Roman pasta you've (probably) never heard of

Zozzona: the dish that inspired Carly Rae Jepsen's hit song "Too Much"

This week I got a much needed haircut at a salon in Carroll Gardens (Brooklyn’s very own Italian mecca, for those unfamiliar) and was told by my fabulous stylist Giulia that I “love her country more than she does.” I cannot accept this in good faith…however, she was definitely onto something. Italian culture is aligned with many virtues that I cherish: espresso from the hours of 10am-4pm, aperitivo from 4-6:30pm, wine from 6:30pm - bedtime, catholic imagery and performance, the occasional cigarette, lots of passionate discussion, and pasta.

I don’t think I have ever gone an entire week of my adult life without eating pasta at least once. It is central to my cooking routine and something that I am committed to learning about as much as possible. I watched Gladiator II on a plane this month so we’re just gonna go ahead and focus on Rome.

There are four traditional pasta dishes associated with the city of Rome. You’ve seen them on menus and they are undoubtedly what you crave when you think of Italian food. These four pastas are distinct staples in Roman cuisine and all variations of one another. I have come home from the bar many times and made each of them based on my level of stability and what happens to be in my fridge. Learning the technique of each of these has enabled me to turn nothing into a pasta something (zucchini! carbonara!) — a skill that comes in handy whenever my house is lacking of groceries.

Cacio e Pepe, Amatriciana, Gricia, and Carbonara (the king).
You know them, you love them, you can google their recipes.

This week, I decided to take a deeper dive and learn about the more opulent secret Roman love child:

Pasta Alla Zozzona

The four classic pastas all use a mix and match of guanciale, eggs, Pecorino Romano (not parm!), black pepper, and passata (or tomato sauce). Zozzona uses them all. According to Rome’s official tourism website, this frankenstein dish has been around since the 1960’s. It’s incredible, but very rich, and can be messed up as fast at you can say “temper your egg.”

1 lb of guanciale, barely enough for 5 people

Zozzona literally translates to “dirty pasta,” and if you saw my kitchen mid-way through the process, you’d understand why. The “traditional” recipe uses sausage in addition to the guanciale, but mostly because I forgot to buy the sausage, I felt that one meat was enough in the version I fed my friends this weekend. The egg yolks in this recipe give it serious gloss and paired with the tomato, make it worthy of a dish standing on its own (unlike with the others, where I always feel the need to order accompaniments). Make it with care, because it is finicky. Prep all your ingredients ahead of time, use warm bowls to serve, and eat alongside good red wine with a simple arugula salad.

Rigatoni alla Zozzona (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) rigatoni

• 1 lb (450g) guanciale, cubed (rind removed)

• 1 small onion or 1 large shallot, finely chopped

• 14 oz tomato purée

• 3 egg yolks

• 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Salt (for your pasta water ONLY)

Instructions

1. Place the cubed guanciale in a cold pot or dutch oven and turn the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and the fat has rendered (about 8-10 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to remove the guanciale and set it aside in a bowl, leaving 1/2 of the fat in the pan.

   

2. Lower the heat slightly, add the chopped onion or shallot, and cook until softened and translucent (about 5 minutes).

3. Pour in the tomato purée, stirring to combine with the rendered fat and onions. If the sauce thickens too much, add small amounts of water to loosen it. Let it simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes until it reaches a rich, slightly thickened consistency. Season with black pepper.

   

   Get your tomato from an iIalian grocer if possible, it makes a significant difference

4. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water (it should taste like the sea!) to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until al dente, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.

5. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with half of the grated pecorino and the remaining guanciale fat. Add a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water to loosen the mixture if needed. It should be the consistency of tahini (sorry, I’m at a blank of what else to compare it to).

6. Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce, tossing to coat. Stir in the 1/2 the guanciale. Remove the pan from heat and slowly drizzle in the egg yolk mixture, stirring continuously to create a creamy sauce (the residual heat will cook the eggs without scrambling). If needed, add splashes of reserved pasta water to loosen.

   

   This part is very important!! Watch a video about it if you do not feel confident!

7. Stir in the remaining pecorino and a generous amount of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately with extra pecorino and remaining guanciale on top. Enjoy!

It’s nice to treat your loved ones every now and then. Make a big pot of this for your next Drag Race/White Lotus party and invite me over. I promise not to watch over your shoulder.

There’s a lot of awful in the world right now and yet, life keeps happening, hope this helped.

xo

Rebecca