Thecia DeLap
Food Columnist
RECIPES FROM THE EDITOR’S WIFE…
The Zozzona ingredients. Buckle up!
Preparing the Roman Plate!
Simmering and making your house scent-worthy.
AHHHH. La Zozzona! Let’s eat.
Have you ever been to Italy for some real Italian cooking that can only be found off the beaten path? Now you can find it in your own kitchen! Get ready for a different type of pasta that is “The Proper Roman Plate!”
Your Shopping List:
1 lb. Rigatoni
8 oz sweet Italian sausage (casing removed)
8 oz pancetta (chopped)
½ Vidalia onion (finely chopped)
16 Oz Tomato Passata (how have I never heard of this!)
1-1/2 cups freshly grated Pecorino/Romano Cheese
4 egg yolks
Pepper
Pasta Water
EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
Take a large pot and boil water that is seasoned generously with salt. Add the Rigatoni and cook al dente.
Put the grated cheese into a dry bowl. Add the egg yolks and mix until fully combined. Set aside.
In a large, lightly oiled pan, crisp up the pancetta (not too brown as you don’t want a burnt taste). Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel. In the same pan, break up the sausage into small bite-size chunks. Add the onions and stir until sausage browns and the onions translucent. Pour in the Passata and stir until combined and the sauce is bubbling.
Take 1 cup of Pasta water and set aside then Drain the Rigatoni. Do not rinse the pasta! Return to the hot pot. Pour the tomato mixture over the pasta and stir. Add the cheese mixture while the sauce is still hot. The residual heat will give a rich, silky texture without cooking the egg. Add some pasta water a little at a time (you may not need all) to make the sauce even creamier. Fold in the pancetta. And, the Final Touch… More grated cheese on top!
Fun Fact: How is it that I never heard of Passata! It’s simply uncooked tomatoes that are crushed and pureed and then strained to remove any tomato pieces, skins and seeds. I found it to be much different from your canned tomato puree as it is much lighter. It comes in a jar (not a can) and is found in your neighborhood grocery store (or bought online). I now use this when making lighter sauces when I add different meats (other than meatballs where I make my own gravy).
Thecia DeLap is not only a successful mortgage lender for VanDyk Mortgage Corporation, but is also an Italian culinary artist who knows her way around the kitchen and has experience cooking, catering, entertaining and planning for large corporate events as well as smaller gatherings. To reach her, you can email her at [email protected] or message her at: http://www.facebook.com/vandykmortgagethecia