# Pasta alla Zozzona with Guanciale, Sausage, and Pecorino > Crisp-edged guanciale and browned Italian sausage meet tomato, pecorino, and egg yolks in a glossy sauce that catches inside every curve of pasta. It has the richness of carbonara and the bright, savory pull of a tomato sauce—excellent cool-weather comfort food. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/pasta-alla-zozzona-chefsteps-style - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2025-10-27 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free ![Pasta alla Zozzona with Guanciale, Sausage, and Pecorino](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Fa565448dc18ef1d6.jpg) ## Guanciale, Sausage, and Tomato Sauce Rendered guanciale brings deep pork flavor, while browned sausage adds texture. Tomato acidity balances the richness before the egg-and-cheese finish. ### Ingredients - 4 oz gluten-free guanciale, rind removed, cut into short 1/4-inch-thick batons - 1 tsp ghee - 8 oz gluten-free mild Italian pork sausage, casings removed - 14 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes with their juices, crushed by hand - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper - to taste kosher salt, only if needed ### Instructions 1. Put the guanciale and ghee in a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the edges turn golden. Transfer the guanciale to a plate. 2. Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet, reserving any excess separately. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sausage in rough, bite-size pieces. Cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked to 160°F. 3. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the tomatoes and black pepper, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, until thickened but still saucy. 4. Return the guanciale and its collected juices to the skillet. Keep warm over low heat. Wait until the finished pasta is combined before deciding whether it needs salt. ### Notes - Keep the sausage in small nuggets rather than finely crumbling it. - If the sauce looks oily, spoon off excess fat before adding the pasta; the finished sauce should coat rather than leave an oil slick. ## Egg Yolk and Pecorino Finish Egg yolks and finely grated pecorino emulsify with the tomato sauce and cooking water, creating the creamy orange coating without cream. ### Ingredients - 4 large pasteurized egg yolks - 3 oz Pecorino Romano, very finely grated - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper - 3 tbsp warm reserved pasta cooking water, plus more as needed ### Instructions 1. Whisk the egg yolks, pecorino, and pepper together in a medium bowl. 2. Once the pasta is cooking, let 3 tablespoons of its cooking water cool briefly until warm rather than boiling. Whisk it gradually into the yolk mixture to make a thick, smooth cream. 3. Keep beside the stove for the final off-heat toss. ### Notes - Use a fine grater so the cheese melts readily. Pasteurized yolks are specified because the gentle finishing method does not guarantee a fully cooked egg temperature. ## Cavatappi and Final Toss Curved tubes hold both the rich sauce and small pieces of pork. Finishing off heat keeps the yolks silky rather than scrambled. ### Ingredients - 12 oz gluten-free Banza cavatappi - as needed water for boiling pasta - to taste kosher salt for pasta water ### Instructions 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it lightly; the pork and pecorino already contribute substantial salt. 2. Cook the cavatappi according to its package instructions, checking early for a tender but firm center. Stir gently and skim foam if needed. 3. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of cooking water before draining. Use 3 tablespoons for the egg-and-pecorino mixture. 4. Add the drained pasta to the warm tomato-pork sauce with 1/4 cup cooking water. Toss gently over low heat for about 30 seconds, just until evenly coated. 5. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it on a cool burner or trivet. Let active bubbling stop, about 1 minute. 6. Pour in the egg-and-pecorino mixture while tossing continuously. Add warm cooking water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is glossy and flows around the pasta without pooling thinly underneath. 7. Taste for salt and serve immediately. Do not bring the finished sauce back to a simmer. ### Notes - Chickpea pasta can soften quickly; avoid a prolonged simmer in the sauce. - If the sauce tightens before serving, loosen it with a little warm water and toss off heat. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Prepare the yolk mixture and warm the bowls before draining the pasta so the final emulsion can be made and served without delay. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Cut the guanciale, grate the pecorino, crush the tomatoes, and begin heating the pasta water. 2. 0:05 — Render the guanciale, then brown the sausage. 3. 0:20 — Add the tomatoes and simmer. Whisk together the yolks, cheese, and pepper, and warm four serving bowls. 4. 0:25 — Cook the pasta, timing it to finish as the tomato sauce thickens. Loosen the yolk mixture with warm cooking water. 5. 0:35–0:40 — Toss the pasta with the pork-tomato sauce, finish with the yolk mixture off heat, and serve immediately. ## Plating Warm, shallow bowls keep the rich sauce fluid while showing the browned pork and glossy pasta. ### Instructions 1. Divide the pasta among four warm, shallow bowls, distributing the sausage and guanciale evenly. 2. Spoon any remaining sauce over the top. Keep the presentation simple, with the orange-red sauce and browned pork as the focus. ## Leftover Path Gentle reheating with a little water restores some looseness without aggressively cooking the egg-and-cheese sauce. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow, airtight container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. 2. Reheat in a covered skillet over low heat with 2–3 tablespoons water per serving, stirring gently and adding more water as needed. 3. Heat leftovers to 165°F for food safety. Expect a thicker, less silky sauce than when freshly made; avoid prolonged cooking once hot. ### Notes - For planned make-ahead cooking, refrigerate the pork-tomato sauce separately and cook fresh pasta and the yolk finish when serving. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.