Truffles from Alba!

I would like to go on record to declare that the intoxicating smell of truffles might possibly be my all-time favorite smell. Every time the pungent and earthy aromas fill the air, I immediately have a huge smile upon my face.

For the last month, every weekend I would visit the farmers market in the medieval town of Alba, which is home to the Fiera del Tartufo, or the Alba truffle fair.

Last week HD and I decided to visit the event that attracts thousands of people from around the world. It was a treat to walk around and feel the buzz and excitement from the buyers that were touring the pavilion and visiting vendors who are peddling their latest hunted truffles. 

  

The harvest begins in September until December in the picturesque hills of the Langhe. The grow underground next to oak trees and are found by specially trained dogs in the middle of the night.

A few fun facts about truffles:

Truffles or tuber magnatum pico (its scientific name) are one of the most expensive foods on earth. On average expect to pay around $4,800 per kilo. Lucky for us, we are in Piedmont because the best and most expensive truffles in the world are found here.

White truffles have a very short shelf life and must be consumed within 1 week of being hunted. White Truffles typically lose up to around 5% of their body weight every day. 

The largest truffle in the world weighed 1.31 kilograms (2 lb 14 oz) and has entered the Guinness Book of Records weighing the most for a truffle ever found.

The white truffle is far more superior to the less prestigious black truffle. In fact, white truffles must never be cooked but consumed raw. It is best-shaved paper-thin over simple dishes like plin with butter and sage, scrabbled eggs, or a simple risotto.

Here are a few ways I have had the pleasure to enjoy truffles this past week.

Poached Potato cream with lapsang souchone (adds a smokiness quality), poached egg yolk, and black Alba truffles. Enjoyed at Ristorante Piazza Duomo in Alba.

'Agnolotti al Plin' filled with Veal served with a sauce of butter and sage finished with white truffle. Enjoyed at The  Enoteca at Marchesi di Barolo.

Black truffle wafer with chocolate cream served with truffle gelato and hazelnuts.

 Enjoyed at  Ristorante Piazza Duomo in Alba.

Sicilian desserts continued a.k.a. food porn.

Cannoli & Cassata = happiness

Gelato in Sicily.

If you are in Palermo stop by Stancampiano Gelateria. Whenever I am in Sicily I MUST stop by for a brioche with gelato, especially for breakfast.

Breakfast of champions!

HD in the gelato zone.

Gelato = Happiness!

Cooking dinner in Florence. Two nights of lasagna and a very special bottle of Miani!

A few nights ago I decided to cook a nice dinner for HD and I. I was inspired to make lasagna because I see it on almost every restaurant menu in Florence. I am always hesitant to order it because I feel it is so Americanized (I blame Garfield comics). The joy about lasagna is that there is always leftovers and we had plenty to devour for two nights in a row!

I would also like to apologize that this post is NOT really a recipe. My Sicilian mother never used recipes. It is always add some more of that or not too much of this. It our household we used what we had and improvised if we didn’t have it.

So here it goes….

First I chopped up some garlic, an onion, half a carrot, a few stalks of celery, and diced up some pancetta. I tossed it in a hot pan with some olive oil. I sauteed it for about five minutes and added chopped beef and a can of tomatoes.

In a separate bowl I added fresh ricotta and seasoned it with salt, pepper, and oregano.

While I was prepping the ingredients I had added dried lasagna sheets to a pot of salted boiling water.

I also sliced up fresh mozzarella cheese and grated some grana padano.

I began to alternate the ricotta and meat between layers of the cooked lasagna sheets. I also added some mozzarella with the meat layers. I topped it off with a final layer of sauce, mozzarella, and grana padano cheese. I baked it for about 45 mins at 350 degrees.

I saved the best for last. The wines! The first night we enjoyed Bucci Tenuta Pongelli (Rosso Piceno DOC) 2008. A blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes this wine paired nicely with the acidity of the tomato based meat sauce. Herbaceous with supple fruit, this wine from the Marche region was a nice wine to enjoy our meal on the first night.

On the second night we stepped it up with the 2006 Miani, Calvari, from the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. This rare gem is 100% refosco. Big and powerful with smoked meat, clove, graphite and dark cherries. Only two barrels are produced from these pre-world war II parcels which makes it a very special treat. One of my top wines this year!

Lunch at home in Florence.

Another great week in Tuscany! The rain has stopped long enough for HD and I to enjoy lunch in our garden. We decided to both make salads from the supplies that we had available in our refrigerator. (frigorifero)

HD salad is Frisee with eggs over medium, pancetta, and lemon vinaigrette.

Mine consisted of shaved fennel, black olives, cooked tuna, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil.

It was simple, cheap, and delicious. We polished it off with a glass of unoaked Verdicchio for me and a beer for HD.

buon appetito!