Truffles

The most famous truffles used in pasta dishes are the pungent white truffles from the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Umbria, in central Italy, is also renowned for its winter black truffles, the same species (Tuber melanosporum) as French truffles from the Perigord and other regions. Tuscany is also gifted with summer truffles (Tuber aestivum), which, although less aromatic than white truffles or winter black truffles, are much less expensive. White truffles are shaved raw over simple dishes of fresh pasta tossed with butter or olive oil, whereas black truffles are more likely to be cooked in preparations such as Spaghetti alla Norcina.