Pasta · Umbria
Umbricelli Black Truffle Recipe
Chewy hand-rolled Umbrian umbricelli meet butter, garlic, and shaved black truffle for a spare pasta that lets autumn truffle aroma take the lead.
By Lucia Moretti (pen name) · · Editorial policy
Across the Perugia area, umbricelli are hand-rolled from a firm flour-and-water dough into thick, chewy strands. This Umbrian umbricelli black truffle recipe keeps the sauce to butter, a little garlic, and shaved autumn black truffle, added off the heat so its aroma stays clear. For two other regional pasta shapes, see Orecchiette Cime di Rapa Recipe and Pansoti with Walnut Sauce Recipe.
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The recipe
Umbricelli Black Truffle
Ingredients
for 4 servingsEquipment
- large mixing bowl
- clean work surface
- plastic wrap
- large pot
- wide skillet
- slotted spoon or colander
- truffle shaver or fine grater
Method
Mix the 400 g (14 oz) flour and fine salt in a bowl. Add the warm water gradually, stirring until a rough dough forms, then knead on a clean surface for 12 minutes. The dough should feel firm and smooth, not sticky; add a little more water or flour only if needed.
Wrap the dough tightly and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes so the flour hydrates and the dough becomes easier to roll.
Dust the work surface with some of the reserved flour. Cut the dough into several pieces and keep the pieces you are not using covered. Roll each piece into a rope about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, then cut or pinch it into long strands. Roll each strand gently under your palms to even it out, and dust the finished umbricelli lightly so they do not stick. Allow 20 minutes for shaping.
Bring the 4 qt (3.8 L) water to a rolling boil in a large pot, about 10 minutes depending on your stove. Stir in the kosher salt.
Brush any soil from the truffle and shave or finely grate it. In a wide skillet, warm the butter and olive oil over low heat with the crushed garlic for about 5 minutes, without browning the garlic. Remove the skillet from the heat and discard the garlic, then stir in about two-thirds of the truffle.
Drop the umbricelli into the boiling salted water and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring gently once or twice. Taste a strand for a tender outside with a pleasantly chewy center. Before draining, reserve ½ cup (120 ml) pasta water.
Transfer the pasta to the skillet and toss for 2 minutes, adding a splash of pasta water at a time until the butter coats the strands in a light sauce. Keep the skillet off the heat. Finish with the remaining truffle and serve at once.
About the ingredients
Choose a fresh black truffle that feels firm and smells earthy, not musty. Brush away soil rather than soaking it, then shave it just before serving so its aroma is not lost while it sits.
Where it goes wrong
| If you see | It’s because | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| The dough cracks when you try to roll it. | Why It is too dry, or it has not rested long enough. | Fix Knead in water a teaspoon at a time, then cover the dough and let it rest for the full 30 minutes. |
| The strands stick together in the pot. | Why They were not dusted lightly with flour, or the water was not boiling when they went in. | Fix Dust the shaped pasta lightly and add it only to a rolling boil, stirring gently after it enters the pot. |
| The truffle aroma is faint. | Why The truffle was cooked over high heat or stirred into a hot pan. | Fix Take the skillet off the heat before adding the truffle, and shave the final portion over the pasta just before serving. |
Questions
Can you make umbricelli without a pasta machine?
Yes. Umbricelli are shaped by hand. Roll pieces of the rested dough into thin ropes, then gently even out the strands under your palms.
Can you use truffle oil instead of fresh black truffle?
You can, but the flavor will be different and less nuanced. Add a few drops off the heat, since truffle oil can quickly overpower the butter and pasta.
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