Pasta Alla Zozzona
Tomato Sauce, Egg Sauce, Black Pepper, Crispy Prosciutto, Pecorino Romano PDO
Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli of Luca Osteria | Coral Gables, FL
“Pasta alla Zozzona is probably the most far out and funkiest of the Roman pastas. The best way to describe it is if cacio e pepe, pasta amatriciana and carbonara all had a baby. To break away from slight tradition, we use 600 day aged prosciutto instead of guanciale and some Calabrian pepper to honor my late grandmother." — Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli
Adapted by StarChefs | September 2023
INGREDIENTS
Cheese Sauce:
4 large egg yolks
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano PDO
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Crispy Prosciutto:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces diced prosciutto
Tomato Sauce:
2 shallots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces dry white wine
2 cups passata
1 teaspoon Calabrian chile paste
To Assemble and Serve:
Kosher salt
1 pound dried semolina pasta
Grated Pecorino Romano PDO
Cracked black pepper
METHOD
For the Egg Sauce:
In a small bowl, stir to combine eggs, cheeses, and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
For the Crispy Prosciutto:
In a large skillet over medium flame, heat oil. Add prosciutto and cook 6 minutes, or until the prosciutto is brown and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer prosciutto to a plate. Keep the skillet warm.
For the Tomato Sauce:
To the skillet with the prosciutto fat, add shallots, garlic, and salt. Cook 3 minutes, or until the alliums are soft and fragrant. Deglaze pan with wine and continue to cook until liquid is nearly evaporated. Add passata and chile paste. Reduce heat and let simmer 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cover and keep warm.
To Assemble and Serve:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water. In a small saucepan, temper Egg Sauce with ¼ cup reserved pasta water, stirring constantly to prevent scrambling. Remove from heat. Add cooked pasta to the pan with the warmed Tomato Sauce. Stir to coat, adding pasta water as needed if the sauce becomes too thick. Add Egg Sauce and Crispy Prosciutto and stir until the sauce is creamy, glossy, and clings to the pasta. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl and top with grated Pecorino Romano PDO and black pepper.
