Pasta Alla Zozzona

• servings: 2 servings
• active time: 40 minutes
• total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

250g rigatoni

250g guanciale (cured pork jowl) or pancetta, cut into 5mm thick batons

250g nduja

2-3 cloves garlic, sliced thin

400g can plum tomatoes

2 egg yolks

100g finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Dice guanciale into large chunks and add to a cold pan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally, until fat has rendered, then confit until guanciale is golden brown and crisp. Meanwhile prepare a pot of boiling water.

Tilt the pan to pool the fat away from the crispy guanciale while you transfer it to a plate, setting aside for later. Pour half the guanciale fat into a small bowl and allow to cool down. Add nduja to the pan with the remaining guanciale fat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.

Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant, then add garlic and slightly toast before adding plum tomatoes. Simmer on low heat, crushing the tomatoes until they have broken down. Meanwhile salt the water and add the pasta, cooking until just shy of al dente. If the sauce gets too dry at any point, add some pasta water to the pan.

Add 2 egg yolks to the cooled bowl of guanciale fat, along with a few grinds of black pepper and beat together with a fork. Grate in pecorino cheese and beat until they form a homogeneous thick paste. Spoon a small ladle of starchy pasta water into a serving bowl. I use this to cool the pasta water, while heating up the serving bowls.

When the pasta is nearly al dente, turn off the heat, use a spider skimmer to fish it out, and finish cooking it in the sauce. Meanwhile add the cooled pasta water to the egg and cheese mixture and stir to thin out slightly.

When the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat and allow it to cool slightly, then add the egg and cheese mixture, stirring vigorously to prevent the eggs from solidifying. Use a small amount of pasta water to fully wash out any excess from the bowl and add more pasta water if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.

Salt to taste if necessary, but the pasta water should have been sufficient. Serve into warm, shallow, pasta bowls and season with black pepper. Add the crispy guanciale and grate more pecorino romano to finish.

Notes

• Can substitute guanciale for pancetta

• Can substitute nduja for any Italian sausage for a sweet rather than spicy variation

• Can use red onion rather than or as well as garlic

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Serves 4
• Calories: 790 kcal
• Total Fat: 40 g
• Saturated Fat: 15 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 248 mg
• Sodium: 1968 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 75 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5 g
• Total Sugars: 8 g
• Protein: 32 g