A dish with white Truffles

[Pielle]

Ok, so I have reserved myself a small white truffle (10-15g) for a special dinner with friends (we will be 4 persones in total) on tomorrow evening.

Since the truffle is small, I will prepare a small appetizer with it (or a small primi) and plan to shave the truffle with a microplane in order to maximize surface area... too bad for a nice truffle slices effect.

So, I am planning a very simple dish in order to showcase the flavor of the truffles as much as possible, I was hesitating between three main ideas:

1) Home made fresh pasta with a simple cream sauce.

(looking for advice on the cut of pasta and on the details of the cream sauce: wine, garlic, shallots, parmigianio nothing but cream)

2) Home made fresh pasta with a butter parmigiano sauce

(looking for advice on the cut of pasta and on the specific kind of butter to use, also additions, herbs, etc?)

3) A simple risotto

(should I add anything? I know Thomas Keller has a recipe where he adds some cream)

So talk to me about your best experiences with white truffles.

[Chris Amirault]

I'd go with #2: tagliatelle or pappardelle , the best butter you can find, and parmigiano reggiano. Maybe, if I had some really good porcini around, I might toss them in. But if the truffles are as good as you're hoping, there's no need for much else.

Photos, please, so that I may fulfill the promise of total envy.

[ermintrude]

I'd go with a simple risoto but be happy with any of the above.

[plum tart]

When I have a white truffle I always grate it over tagliatelle with butter and parmesan with just a touch of cream. The combination is divine.

[ScottyBoy]

Truffles love eggs so you might think instead of a cream based sauce for a risotto or pasta using a very high quality egg yolk that people can mix in and some cheese.

[Prawncrackers]

When I have a white truffle I always grate it over tagliatelle with butter and parmesan with just a touch of cream. The combination is divine.

I had a wonderful truffle tagliatelle last week, those ingredients but with a rasp of nutmeg too, beautiful flavours.

[plum tart]

yes, nutmeg is lovely with truffle tagliatelle.

[LindaK]

If you decide to go with risotto, I've read that burying the truffle in the Arborio rice a few days in advance infuses the rice with the truffle flavor--another way to get more out your truffle. Not that I've ever had my hands on one, but if I did, I'd be trying make the most of it.

[Nayan Gowda]

If you decide to go with risotto, I've read that burying the truffle in the Arborio rice a few days in advance infuses the rice with the truffle flavor--another way to get more out your truffle. Not that I've ever had my hands on one, but if I did, I'd be trying make the most of it.

Personally, I've been disappointed when I've tried this with a white truffle as the rice didn't take on a huge amount of flavour, and the truffle dried out. It was much more successful with a black truffle.

One thing to point out though, is truffles do not have an infinite amount of aroma/flavo(u)r; so using them to infuse eggs, rice , cheese, or whatever, means that you are actually reducing the flavo(u)r in the truffle itself.

As far as how best to showcase the truffle, there are some great suggestions above; do let us know what you end of doing and how it was (and take photos!)

[Shalmanese]

If you decide to go with risotto, I've read that burying the truffle in the Arborio rice a few days in advance infuses the rice with the truffle flavor--another way to get more out your truffle. Not that I've ever had my hands on one, but if I did, I'd be trying make the most of it.

Only do this if there are reasons you can't cook the truffle straight away. Don't deliberately store truffles in rice to infuse the flavor. Truffles should be used as soon as humanely possible.

[LindaK]

If you decide to go with risotto, I've read that burying the truffle in the Arborio rice a few days in advance infuses the rice with the truffle flavor--another way to get more out your truffle. Not that I've ever had my hands on one, but if I did, I'd be trying make the most of it.

Only do this if there are reasons you can't cook the truffle straight away. Don't deliberately store truffles in rice to infuse the flavor. Truffles should be used as soon as humanely possible.

Thanks for the clarification. I've read that "tip" many times, it always sounded like such a good idea. I'll remember if I'm ever fortunate enough to have a truffle of my very own.