Sausage Rigatoni Pasta alla Zozzona recipe from Rome

5 from 22 votes

Sausage Rigatoni Pasta alla Zozzona recipe from Rome

This sausage rigatoni alla Zozzona from Rome is a great family weeknight meal recipe, especially during the colder months. It's hearty and filling and easy to make. It calls for traditional ingredients such as guanciale (pork cheek), sausages, eggs and Pecorino, ingredients found in other classic Roman pasta recipes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Central Italy, Italian, Mediterranean, Rome & Lazio

Keyword: Italian sausage, rigatoni, Roman cuisine, sausage pasta

Servings:

Calories: 1062kcal

Author: Jacqui

Ingredients

11 ounces rigatoni or other types of pasta tube
2-3 Italian pork sausages skins removed and meat crumbled
7 ounces pork cheek (guanciale) or pancetta cut into cubes
450 g tomato passata (1lb) or peeled tomatoes (you may need more)
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
3 egg yolks
3.5 ounces Pecorino Romano
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
salt for pasta and taste
ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Peel and chop the onion finely. Remove the sausage meat from the casing and chop or break into small pieces. Cut the guanciale or pancetta into small cubes or lardons. If using fresh tomatoes, blanch them in boiling water, peel and cut into quarters.
Fry the onion in a little olive oil until it starts to become translucent. Then add the the guanciale/pancetta. When the guanciale has started to brown a little add the sausage meat.
Brown the sausage. If necessary remove a couple of tablespoons of the fatty cooking liquid. Both guanciale and sausages can render a lot of fat. Then add the tomato passata. Mix and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
While the sauce is cooking boil the water for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. When the pasta is ready, save a little of the cooking water and drain.
Beat the egg yolk with a fork and add pepper and a couple of tablespoons of pecorino, mix well. Add a dash of the pasta cooking water to the eggs to temper them.
Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce and sauté for a couple of minutes. Remove the pan from the heat or move the pasta and sauce to a serving bowl and add the egg yolks and cheese. Mix everything together well. Serve immediately with some more Pecorino and black pepper as required.

Notes

It's important to add the egg yolks and cheese OFF THE HEAT, otherwise the eggs will scramble. Mix everything together well immediately you add the eggs and serve.

Leftovers are delicious baked with some slices of mozzarella on top.

This recipe is traditionally made with rigatoni but you can use other types of pasta tubes such as large or small penne, tortiglioni, fusilli etc

Instead of guanciale you can use pancetta.

Guanciale and pork sausages can render a lot of fat. You may need to remove some of the fatty cooking juices before adding the tomato passata to the meat.

Nutrition