Bonfiglio Pasta with Mushrooms, Mint & Chili Oil

20 Mins

We had no kitchen in Hudson for about a year as we renovated, and we spent many weekend mornings at Bonfiglio & Bread enjoying perfectly executed pastries such as sticky buns, almond kouign-amanns, and schnecken. Always in favor of the savory option, my favorite breakfast was their mushroom toast served on house-made sourdough with chili oil and mint and topped with an egg. Once my kitchen was in order, I had to try this at home—but on pasta, mais oui.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
4 Tbsp. Butter, Oil or Ghee
1½ pounds Mixed Mushroom Caps
2 Tbsp. roughly chopped fresh Thyme
¾ long Pasta (or Zucchini noodles for Paleo diet)
1 cup Red Wine
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf Italian Parsley
4 large Egg Yolks (optional)
2 Tbsp. fresh Mint, torn, for garnish
Chili Oil, for drizzling (store-bought or homemade)
Kosher Salt
freshly ground Black Pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
While the water comes to a boil, start the sauce: Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter, if using in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and thyme and sauté until they begin to cook down and become deeply browned, about 9 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add 2 tablespoons of the salt to the boiling water and return to a rolling boil. Add the pasta or zucchini noodles to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package directions.
While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce: Add the wine to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the pasta directly to the skillet, stirring in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, if using and the parsley, tossing to combine until the butter melts and the sauce is glossy. Add in ¼ cup of pasta water or more (up to 1 cup), as needed to loosen up the sauce.
Quickly plate in bowls and gently place an egg yolk, if desired, on top of each dish. Garnish with the torn mint leaves and drizzle with the chili oil.