Ingredients
1 pound curly pasta (in this case, trottoloni)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 pound crimini or portobello mushrooms
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/4 pound prosciutto di Parma, cut into lardons*
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating
Directions
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. In a 12 to 14-inch sauté pan, heat oil until shimmering. Add the onions, garlic and chili flakes and cook until light golden brown and wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté over high heat 5 minutes, until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, to taste (note: do not add too much salt, if any at all, as the prosciutto is very salty).
Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the directions. Drain the pasta, reserving the cooking liquid, and add to the pan with the mushrooms. Toss over high heat 1 minute to coat the pasta, adding a splash of the cooking water if necessary to keep the sauce from being too “tight”. Add prosciutto and toss to mix. Serve immediately, topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano.