Ingredients Pasta + Noodles Spaghetti Spaghettini with Warm Bacon-Mushroom Vinaigrette 5.0 (5) 4 Reviews This wonderfully versatile dish that Tim Cushman at Covina in Manhattan pairs with a juicy Sicilian Nero d'Avola from Tamì can be served as a main course or a reimagined pasta salad. Key to the mixed mushroom topping is a splash of balsamic vinegar, which adds both tang and subtle sweetness. By Tim Cushman Tim Cushman Why he won Because his wonderful, contemporary Japanese menu cleverly references his native New England. Born Millis, MA; 1953. Experience Trumps and 385 North, Los Angeles; corporate chef, Lettuce Entertain You, Chicago. Early food-science experiment Winning the fifth-grade science fair at his school with a presentation on maple syrup, which he’d tapped, boiled down and displayed in test tubes in different stages. How he got into cooking “I went to L.A. to work in the music business. I didn’t have a car, so I had to get a job that I could walk to. There was a small restaurant down the street called Courtney’s, and I started out as a prep cook there.” How he got to cook all over the world Working for Lettuce Entertain You. “I’d travel from Thailand to Mexico to Italy to Japan, doing research. Whenever they launched a new concept, I’d create the menu and open the restaurant. I’ve opened 60 restaurants around the world, from steak houses and sushi places to tapas joints and pizzerias.” Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 1, 2016 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Con Poulos Total Time: 1 hrs Yield: 6 Ingredients 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips 1 large onion, finely chopped 8 ounces mixed mushrooms, such as cremini and stemmed shiitake, thinly sliced 2 teaspoons finely grated garlic Kosher salt and pepper 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 pound spaghettini 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish 1/2 cup thinly sliced basil, plus basil leaves for garnish White truffle oil, for drizzling (optional) Directions Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and the fat is rendered, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Add salt to the boiling water. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta and water to the pot. Add the bacon-mushroom vinaigrette and the ½ cup each of grated cheese and sliced basil and toss over moderate heat until the pasta is evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to plates and garnish with additional cheese and basil leaves. Drizzle with truffle oil if desired and serve. Suggested Pairing Juicy Nero d’Avola: 2014 Tamì Terre Siciliane. Rate it Print