Have you ever tried fresh truffles, or had a chance to cook with them? If you’re not familiar with this unique ingredient, is actually a very rare and expensive type of mushroom. The truffle is a fungus that grows amongst the roots of certain trees in very specific environments in countries like Italy, Spain, and France. Because they grow underground, people often have to use animals like dogs are pigs for their keen sense of smell to locate them. Often, truffle hunters will never disclose the secret location of where they find them because these are so rare and hard to find.
Lucky for Chef Melissa, she found some in the ancient city of Luca, Italy. Watch as she sources and cooks one in a delicious pasta (with the recipe below!).
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Pasta with Fresh Truffle Cream Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
1 onion
1 clove Garlic
1 sprig of fresh thyme
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 fresh truffle, wiped clean and sliced thin (with 1/2 served for sauce and the other 1/2 for garnish)
1/2 cup grated hard cheese (pecorino or Parmesan), with some leftover for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups of cooked pasta
Instructions:
1. In a medium sized sauce pan, sauté together, onion, garlic, fresh thyme, butter, and olive oil, on medium- low heat for about five minutes until onions or soft
2. Add the flour and stir until it is well mixed with the other ingredients.
3. Add milk to the pan, stir to make sure the flour is dissolved, and bring to simmer on medium heat.
4. Add 1/2 of the sliced truffles to the mix, and bring to a continuous low simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often to ensure the sauce does not burn.
5. Stir in the cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required.
6. In a separate pot with boiling water, cook your favorite pasta as per it’s instructions.
7. Drain the pasta and add it directly into the cream sauce.
8. Serve the pasta with a sprinkle of extra cheese and remaining fresh truffle shavings.