Pasta Alla Zozzona Recipe

Bring water to boil

Bring a large pot (about 5–6 quarts) of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt.

Cook pasta

Add 12 oz dried pasta and cook until just shy of al dente (follow package time minus 1–2 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water before draining and set pasta aside in colander.

Prepare meats

While water heats, remove casings from 10 oz spicy fennel sausage and crumble the meat into small pieces. Cut 3 oz guanciale into 1/4-inch dice or lardons.

Render guanciale

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the diced guanciale. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the guanciale is crisp and golden, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer crisped guanciale to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

Brown sausage

Increase heat slightly to medium-high, add the crumbled fennel sausage to the pan with the guanciale fat. Break it up with a spoon and brown until no longer pink and edges are caramelized, about 5–6 minutes.

Sauté aromatics

Push the browned sausage to one side of the pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil if the pan is dry. Add 1 small finely diced yellow onion and cook over medium heat until translucent and beginning to brown at the edges, 4–6 minutes. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring to combine with the sausage.

Deglaze and reduce

Pour in 1 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Allow the wine to reduce by about half, 3–4 minutes.

Finish sauce

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in 1 cup heavy cream. Let the sauce simmer gently until it thickens slightly, about 4–6 minutes. If sauce becomes too thick, stir in up to 1 cup reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until you reach a silky, clingy consistency that will coat the pasta.

Toss pasta with sauce

Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss constantly with tongs or two forks over low heat for 1–2 minutes so the pasta absorbs sauce. Add up to the reserved 1 cup pasta water as needed to loosen and create an emulsion.

Incorporate cheese and guanciale

Remove the pan from heat. Sprinkle in 3 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss until melted and the sauce becomes creamy. Return the crisped guanciale to the pasta and gently fold to combine.

Season and finish

Taste and adjust salt as needed. Add 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley. If desired, drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over the plated pasta.

Divide pasta among 4 warm bowls, garnish with extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and an additional pinch of red pepper flakes if you like more heat. Serve immediately.