I love the black truffles from the Périgord region of France. I also love the black ones from Umbria in Italy.
But my favorite is the Italian white truffle from Alba.
I have had fresh ones but once, and it nearly brought me to tears.
It is extremely rare to find a fresh truffle in Tucson. It happens on occasion although most of the time we need to use products made from truffles: truffle butter and truffle oil are easy to find, but many are synthetic.
I once found truffle flour, but I fear that it, too, was flavored with something synthesized in a laboratory.
Truffle salt is one of the best options for true truffle flavor, and my friend Todd brought me some from Italy. The salt is generously flecked with actual pieces of white truffle. White Gold.
Before I even broke the seal on the jar, I could smell the incredibly earthy, almost garlicky aroma.
Eggs are the obvious first choice, followed by popcorn. But I wanted to make something more special so I decided to stay in the fungi family!
Today it is a rich, creamy, mushroom tart with pancetta, shallots, and thyme. Add a sprinkle of white truffle salt on top and you have something really special.
~ David
Mushroom Tart with White Truffle Salt
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, chilled
1/4 cup ice water
2 tablespoons butter
3 small shallots, peeled and diced
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1 pound cremini or white button mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 cup crème fraîche
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt and freshly ground pepper
white truffle salt, optional (but it's why I made the tart!)
Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Combine the flour and salt in a large, wide bowl. Cut the butter into 32 pieces and add to the flour; toss to coat. Working quickly with your fingertips, pinch the butter into the flour creating flakes of flour-covered butter. Do this until there are no chunks of butter left, only flakes. Sprinkle the water on top then, using a fork, toss the mixture to evenly distribute the water. Next, with your hands, pull the dough together and knead briefly to form a ball. Refrigerate for 10 minutes before rolling. Roll the dough into a 11-inch by 14-inch rectangle and put it in an 8-inch by 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Fold the excess dough down to make a thick rim for the tart, pressing it into the fluted sides. Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with a fork, then put in the freezer for 20 minutes while you heat the oven to 425°F. Line the tart shell with foil, and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until it’s lightly colored, about 20 minutes. Remove the tart and reduce the oven temperature to 400°F; remove the weights and foil.
Meanwhile heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and, when melted, add the shallots and pancetta. Cook until the shallots are soft and the pancetta has rendered its fat and is beginning to color. Add the sliced mushrooms and the thyme leaves, and cook until the mushrooms are tender and browned. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, egg, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add this cream mixture to the cooled mushrooms and mix well. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly into the tart shell and bake for 30-35 minutes, unit crust is brown and filling is bubbling. Sprinkle immediately with truffle salt and serve warm.
Serves 6 as a light meal.
