Mushroom Bruschetta

This is a saucy, hearty meal of crisp toast, creamy mushrooms, topped with an egg. It's a restaurant favorite made at home.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Mary Younkin

Ingredients

1 crusty French baguette sliced into ½-inch slices
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
½ teaspoon kosher salt divided, adjust to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
16 ounces crimini or button mushrooms chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 shallot minced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 cup heavy cream
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
1 tablespoon butter
4 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley finely chopped

Instructions

To Toast the Bread

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the sliced bread in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Brush the bread on both sides with olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle the top of each slice lightly with salt.
Bake until toasted golden brown, about 6 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove from the oven and increase the oven heat to BROIL.

To Cook the Mushrooms

Warm a large stainless skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and spread them across the pan in a layer. Cook for about 3 minutes on one side. Stir and continue cooking while stirring occasionally for an additional 3-4 more minutes.
Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil along with the shallot and the garlic, stir, and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
Add the cream to the skillet along with the thyme and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to just enough to steam and barely simmer and thicken the cream for about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs.

To Cook the Eggs - OPTIONAL

Melt ½ tablespoon butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. When the butter begins to foam, tilt the pan to coat the bottom with butter. Add 2 eggs to the skillet. When the edges of the eggs turn white, season lightly with salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon of water to the pan and cover with lid.
Cook for 2 minutes, until the eggs are done to your liking. Slide the cooked eggs onto a plate and tent with foil. Drain any liquid in the pan and add ½ tablespoon butter to the hot skillet. Repeat the steps with 1-2 more eggs.

To Assemble the Toasts

Top the toasted bread with the Parmesan cheese and place it under the broiler for just a minute or so until the cheese has melted. Do not walk away.
Remove the toasts from the oven. Place them in four serving dishes with a rim and top with the creamy mushroom mixture, an additional light sprinkle of Parmesan, parsley, and an egg, if desired.

Notes

You can prepare the toast for this recipe a couple of different ways. While you can certainly pop it under the broiler for a quick minute, you'll achieve a more perfectly toasted slice of bread by baking it instead.

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