MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV 2.10 Title: About Pasta Alla Zozzona Categories: Info, Italian, Pork, Pasta, Cheese Servings: 1 text file guanciale sausage onion tomato pork fat rigatoni egg yolks Pecorino Romano Rigatoni alla zozzona is the decadent pasta mash-up of Roman Amatriciana (Sugo all'amatriciana is a traditional Italian pasta sauce based on guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino cheese from Amatrice, tomato, and, in some variations, onion. Originating from the town of Amatrice it is one of the best known pasta sauces in present-day Roman cuisine) and carbonara (charcoal burner's) another Italian pasta dish from Rome made with egg, hard cheese (usually Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a combination), cured pork, and black pepper. Spaghetti is the most common pasta, but fettuccine, rigatoni, linguine, or bucatini are also used. Guanciale or pancetta are used for the meat component, but lardons of smoked bacon are a common substitute outside Italy) with a sausage twist. Rigatoni alla zozzona,is made with with crisp guanciale, juicy sausage, onion, and tomato simmered in rendered pork fat, this dish dials up the decadence, which is saying something for a cuisine that's not exactly known for light fare. Tossed with al dente rigatoni, it all gets a glossy glow-up with an off-heat addition of egg yolks and Pecorino Romano. While Italian cooking is famous for adhering to traditions and rules, there are plenty of dishes like pasta alla zozzona that joyously fly in the face of convention. The very term "zozzona" celebrates and embraces how outrageous this pasta is: In Roman dialect, "zozza" is a term for "dirty," Rigatoni alla zozzona is a dirty mess, in the best possible way. Why It Works Slowly cooking guanciale and sausage in stages yields crisp morsels of pork and plenty of flavorful fat to build an emulsified sauce. Finishing cooking the pasta in the sauce ensures that the noodles are well-coated and al dente. Stirring starchy pasta water into a mixture of egg yolks and Pecorino Romano tempers the eggs, keeping them creamy and smooth when they are folded into the pasta off-heat. From: Sasha Marx, Serious Eats MMMMM