OVERLOADED PASTA

A Sinfully Indulgent Roman Classic

Pasta alla Zozzona is Rome’s unapologetically rich, bold, and deeply satisfying pasta dish, its very name, zozzona, meaning “dirty” or “messy,” says it all. This recipe is the lovechild of Amatriciana and Carbonara, with the added decadence of pork sausage, creating a sauce that is smoky, creamy, meaty, and tangy all at once. It's the kind of overloaded, no-holds-barred pasta that you crave when you're hungry for comfort and flavor in equal measure.  

Usually made with rigatoni or mezze maniche, the sauce clings to every ridge and curve of the pasta, delivering intense bites packed with guanciale, sausage, tomato, egg, and Pecorino Romano. It’s a dish that doesn’t apologize for being indulgent—this is Roman cucina ‘verace’, the kind of meal you’d find in a trattoria in Trastevere or on a Sunday table in the suburbs of the Eternal City.  

Perfect for a hearty weekend lunch, hangover cure, or a celebration of Roman culinary bravado, Pasta alla Zozzona is best enjoyed with a full-bodied red wine like Cesanese or Montepulciano and a very loose belt.  

This is not a light dish—but it's honest food. It offers a protein-rich punch from eggs, sausage, guanciale, and Pecorino Romano. The tomato sauce brings a touch of acidity and vitamin C, cutting through the fat and rounding out the dish.  

If you want to slightly lighten it without losing flavor, you can reduce the quantity of guanciale and use leaner sausage. Still, Pasta alla Zozzona is meant to be indulgent, so embrace it when the moment is right.

A little history

Unlike Rome’s holy trinity of pastas - Carbonara, Amatriciana, and Cacio e Pepe - Pasta alla Zozzona is a more recent creation, born not from ancient culinary canon but from the kitchens of hungry Romans wanting it all.  

It's a prime example of "cucina di recupero", or inventive home cooking using what’s available - why choose between Carbonara and Amatriciana when you can have both, with sausage too?  

Though less famous than its cousins, this overloaded pasta has become a cult favorite among locals and street food fans. It’s a dish that breaks the rules with flair, embodying the resourceful, sometimes rebellious heart of Roman cooking.  

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INGREDIENTS👇🏻

• 320g | 11.3oz tortiglioni or rigatoni pasta

• 650g | 23oz tomato passata

• 250g | 8.8oz pork sausage meat

• 150g | 5.3oz guanciale

• 4 egg yolks

• 40ml | 1.4fl oz white wine

• 50g | 1.8oz pecorino cheese + for decoration

• Sea salt

• Extra virgin olive oil

The recipe step by step

1. Cut the sausage meat into small chunks and the guanciale into strips

   
   

2. Separate the egg yolks and mix them with 50g | 1.8oz pecorino cheese, whisking to create a smooth cream

   
   

3. Pour a drizzle of oil into a pan and sizzle sausage and guanciale until browned

   
   

4. Add the white wine and let it evaporate on lively heat

   
   

5. Add the tomato passata and sea salt, and cook for 20 minutes on low heat

   
   

6. Bring the water to a boil and cook the pasta

   
   

7. Drain the pasta al dente and transfer it to the sauce pan

   
   

8. Stir well, adding a bit of cooking water if necessary

   
   

9. Remove the pan from the heat, add the egg cream and stir well

   
   

10. Finish with a sprinkle of pecorino cheese for decoration…then enjoy! 😋