May’s Can’t-Miss Dish

Mushroom bruschetta from Pammy's
Mushroom Bruschetta - Pammy's
By Ellen Bhang · 05/01/2018

Looking for a no-fail, mouthwatering, gonna-tell-your-friends-about-it plate? Each month, Boston Globe columnist Ellen Bhang highlights the dish you need to try right now—and a delicious wine to sip alongside it.

On the plate:
Mushroom Bruschetta

Where to find it:
Pammy’s, a lively New American trattoria situated between Harvard and Central Squares, has quickly become a neighborhood favorite. Here, wife-and-husband team Pam and Chris Willis create everyday magic, centered around comforting bowls of pasta, artisanal sips, and a vibe that’s enhanced by a cozy fireplace.

Notes on the nosh:
The bruschetta is a forager’s delight. Some of the mushrooms, like chanterelles, king oysters, and hedgehogs, are sautéed with garlic and thyme. Another, hen of the woods, is roasted to a crisp; it tastes campfire-kissed. The fungi are heaped onto slices of baked-daily Pugliese sourdough after they’ve been grilled, then spread with light-as-air ricotta. Fresh rings of jalapeño serve as more than adornment—these peppers add zip and sass.

Sip alongside:
General manager and wine director Lauren Hayes recommends a 2016 Populis “Reversée,” a cherry-hued natural wine crafted from dry-farmed carignan grapes, grown in Mendocino, California. The somm adores how the pour’s acidity, gentle tannins, and earthy aromatics pair perfectly with the umami-celebrating dish. “Both the wine and the bruschetta speak the same language,” she says. “They are rustic, but also refined.”

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