Like any bold-tasting ingredient, truffles are divisive. While the strong, earthy taste isn’t for everyone, for those who do enjoy these fungi they’re a quick way to improve almost any dish.
“October is the start of the season for truffles,” says Teresa Spinelli, owner and president of the Italian Centre Shop. She explains that when it comes to fresh truffles there are two varieties — black and white, with the white being more expensive. There are also truffle flakes and oils to give a variety of ways to incorporate the mushroom’s flavour into a dish.
But why do they carry such a high price? “They grow underground, under trees, it takes real skill to find them,” Spinelli says. “You can’t grow them, usually they use trained dogs to find them.” The Italian Centre gets its truffles flown in directly from Italy, meaning if a customer orders them, they won’t be available for pickup until the next week. The flakes and oil have more immediate availability.
Spinelli says that the black variety is more popular because they’re less expensive, but that there are subtle taste differences too. “The white truffles are stronger,” she says, “with more of a garlic taste.”
The key to cooking with truffles is a little goes a long way. They have a strong flavour that can overpower other, subtler ingredients, but Spinelli says when they’re used right they enhance even the simplest dishes. “If you make fried eggs and put truffle on it,” she says, “it can elevate the eggs a thousand times.” She simply adds truffle shavings to her egg dish after it’s finished cooking.
It’s the simplest strategy, and works with all of your favourite dishes. Eggs, pasta, pizza — if you’re a fan of mushrooms to begin with, adding in truffles is a way to bring that presence to any dish you choose. She advises to use up your fresh truffles within three days of purchase.
“You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make a good dish,” she says, “and a 25-gram black truffle will give you enough for a dinner party of 15 people.”
Truffle oil, on the other hand, is oil infused with the mushroom’s essence, and it’s better for fully incorporating that flavour into the body of a sauce (or anything else you’d like) rather than adding it on top. The oil is also typically easy to find, as it doesn’t need to be flown in weekly. The best truffle infusions start with olive oil.
“If you like mushrooms, you’ll like truffles,” says Spinelli. “It’s just a really strong mushroom.”
Recipe courtesy of Teresa Spinelli
