Truffle season is here in Australia, and here is the ultimate guide to truffles.
From July to September, the black Australian truffles are harvested in different regions in the southern part of Australia. From the Blue Mountains in NSW to Tasmania, from Victoria to Western Australia.
The most prestigious, are the Manjimup truffles found in the Margaret River area in WA.
But depending on where you live, the chances are that you might be able to find truffles all year round from different parts of the world.
Let's dig a little deeper into this delicatessen.
What are truffles?
Truffles are the edible spores that grow on an underground fungus in the family Tuberaceae. They're often confused with mushrooms, but they're technically not the same species. Mushrooms grow above ground, while truffles grow underneath the surface.
Types of truffles
Truffles can be divided into 2 categories: white truffles and black truffles.
White truffles are native to northern Italy and they are the most prestigious and expensive truffles you can find.
Because of their pungent and aromatic flavour, white truffles are usually enjoyed raw and sparingly. You'll often find them shaved over elegant dishes (such as pasta and risottos) or used as a garnish.
Black truffles are generally less expensive and a little easier to find. Been less aromatic and with an earthy flavour, they stand up better to heat. They're often used in sauces, compound butter, risottos, eggs and more.
Italian truffles are my favourites. With many varieties, each truffle is found in a specific period of the year:
- White truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico), from 1st October to 31st
December
- Valued black truffle (Tuber Melanosporum Vitt.), from 15th
November to 15th March;
- Summer black truffle or "Scorzone" (Tuber Aestivum Vitt),
from 1st May to 30th November;
-Summer black truffle or "Scorzone" (Uncinatum variety),
from 1st October to 31st December,
- March truffle or «Marzolo" (Tuber Borchii Vitt. or Tuber
Albidum Pico), from 15th January to 30th April;
-Winter black truffle (Tuber Brumale Vitt.), from 1st January
to 15th March
- Musky truffle (Tuber Brumale Vitt., Moschatum De Ferry
variety), from 15th November to 15th March;
- Smooth black truffle (Tuber Macrosporum Vitt.), from 1st
September to 31st December;
- Common black truffle (Tuber Mesentericum Vitt.), from 15th
September to 31st December
Why are so hard to find?
Truffles can be found in many parts of the world.
Some varieties can be cultivated, but others are impossible to and can only be found in particular environments.
Truffle hunters are accompanied by particularly trained truffle sniffing dogs, who can sniff the scent and help the hunter dig out the finds.
Back in the days, pigs were used for this job, but they were ofter eating the truffles and because of their heavy weight, they were damaging the forest floor. Due to this pigs are now banned.
How to use truffle sauces
Truffle sauces are very useful in the preparation of pasta dishes
(without tomato sauce). Simply warm the truffle sauce in a pan, add the pasta and warm again altogether. Serve hot, and just add some Parmigiano Reggiano to finish.
The sauces are also perfect with omelettes and hard boiled
eggs, for spreading on toasted bread and bruschetta and for
adding flavour to boiled meats and fish.
TIP: after opening, cover the exposed surface with extra
virgin olive oil and store the sauces in the refrigerator.
The sauce should be used in a short time (about 20 days).
How to use truffle flavoured oil
It is mainly used for seasoning all pasta dishes without tomato
sauce. Excellent for preparing carpaccio (thin slices of raw fillet
of beef with oil and parmesan) and bruschetta (toasted slices of
bread with oil and garlic), but it can also be used for seasoning meats.
TIP: To avoid flavour loss, the bottle must be closed after each
use.
How to store and clean truffles
The best way to store them is to individually wrap truffles in a paper towel (changing this one as soon as it becomes damp).
Place the wrapped truffles in a closed jar and store them in the lower section of the refrigerator in the vegetable drawer (+2°, +3°).
Fresh truffles may be kept for a maximum of 8 - 10 days.
Another tip is to brush and clean the fresh truffles only at the moment
of use. Don't use water but instead remove any dirt with a soft brush ( a toothbrush will work perfectly).
