Boxing Match: Burgatory

Photography by Dave Bryce. Styling by Rafael Vencio. Dinnerware by Jars for Crate and Barrel.

Did you hear someone say bacon? Executive Sous Chef Panfield DiNicola from Burgatory channels big-bacon energy into his crowd-pleasing and incredibly delicious Boxing Match pasta entry.

Smoked Bacon and Wild Mushroom Rigatoni in Lemon Herb Cream Sauce

Ingredients

1 lb of fresh rigatoni

1 lb of smoked uncured sliced bacon, medium diced

7 oz maitake mushrooms, chopped

8 oz crimini mushrooms, chopped

4 oz fresh shallots, quartered and sliced very thin

5 large cloves of fresh garlic, minced

1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes (optional but recommended)

Juice of one fresh lemon

1 cup of good white wine, one you'll enjoy with dinner

1 pint of organic grass-based heavy cream

3 oz St. Malachi cheese, feather-shredded on a grater

3 oz 7 Sisters cheese, feather-shredded on a grater

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

2 tbsp fresh thyme, picked and chopped

1 bunch of fresh scallions, cleaned and sliced thin

Instructions

In a large sauce or stock pot, add enough water for pasta; add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Cut to a simmer and have ready for pasta later.

In a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, add smoked bacon and begin rendering until brown and crispy. Take about 1/4 of the cooked bacon and reserve. Add all mushrooms and sauté until blended with bacon for a few minutes. Add shallots, garlic, and crushed red pepper (if using)) and continue to sauté until shallots are soft and garlic has browned slightly. Once all ingredients have come together, add the lemon juice and white wine to deglaze the pan. Make sure you scrape all the good flavors from the bottom of the pan.

Once you’ve done that, reduce liquid until mostly dry (au sec). Add heavy cream and 3/4 of the prepped cheeses, bring sauce to a simmer and continue to stir; reduce by half or a little less depending on desired thickness. Add prepared herbs and fold into the sauce and turn off heat source.

Turn up heat in the stock pot and bring water to a boil; add rigatoni and cook for about 5 minutes or less depending on desired tenderness. Fresh pasta takes less time to cook, so check on them. Once pasta is cooked, strain in a colander. When pasta is ready, fold into the sauce in the pan. Plate pasta in a large serving bowl, add any remaining sauce. Top with remaining cheeses, cooked-off bacon, and sliced scallions.

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