Dirty Pasta
A flavorful and comforting Italian pasta dish featuring a creamy egg sauce, sausage, and pancetta.
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or as needed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 5 ounces pancetta chopped
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 26 ounces marinara sauce or meat sauce
- 1 tablespoon sea salt plus more to taste
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 3 egg yolks
- 4 tablespoons finely grated pecorino Romano cheese plus more for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Gather all your ingredients to streamline the cooking process.
- In a large pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until golden brown, about 7 minutes.
- Introduce the minced garlic and chopped pancetta; cook until crispy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the mild Italian sausage, breaking it down and stirring until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the marinara sauce and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Add sea salt, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
- In a separate pot, boil water, add sea salt, and cook the rigatoni until tender, about 13 minutes.
- Reserve a mug of pasta water, then drain and keep the pasta warm.
- Whisk egg yolks and mix in pecorino cheese until thick. Season with black pepper.
- Slowly mix the egg mixture into the sauce, whisking continuously to avoid scrambling.
- Toss the sauce with the rigatoni, adjusting seasoning with cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
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Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat gently on the stove or microwave.