Tajarin al Tartufo Bianco

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large wooden board or clean work surface
• •Pasta machine or long rolling pin
• •Sharp knife for cutting
• •Truffle shaver or mandoline
• •Wide shallow pan for saucing

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mound the flour on a wooden board or clean work surface. Create a well in the center. Add the egg yolks, whole egg, and a pinch of salt to the well. Using a fork, beat the eggs gently, then begin incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well. When the mixture becomes too stiff to work with a fork, use your hands to bring the dough together.

   The high proportion of yolks to whites creates tajarin's characteristic golden color and silken texture. This is not standard pasta dough. The yolks make it richer, more delicate, more demanding of your attention.
2. 2

   Knead the dough

   Knead the dough with the heel of your hand, pushing forward and folding back, for a full 10 minutes. The dough should become smooth, supple, and slightly tacky but not sticky. If it clings to your hands, dust with flour. If it cracks and resists, your yolks were small; wet your hands slightly and continue. When pressed, the dough should feel like your earlobe.

3. 3

   Rest the dough

   Wrap the dough tightly in plastic film and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling possible. Do not skip this step. Do not shorten it. The dough knows what it needs.

4. 4

   Roll the pasta

   Divide the dough into four portions. Keep the portions you are not working with covered. Using a pasta machine or rolling pin, roll each portion into sheets as thin as you can manage. With a machine, this means the second-to-last setting. The sheets should be nearly translucent, the golden color of autumn leaves. Let the sheets dry for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface, turning once.

   In Piedmont, the sfogline who roll pasta by hand create sheets so thin you can read a newspaper through them. You may not achieve this your first time. You will improve.
5. 5

   Cut the tajarin

   Roll each sheet loosely into a cylinder. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into strands no wider than 3 millimeters. Tajarin must be thin. This is not negotiable. Unroll the strands immediately and toss gently with a little flour to prevent sticking. Arrange in loose nests on a floured tray.

6. 6

   Prepare the butter

   In a pan large enough to hold the cooked pasta, melt the butter over low heat. Do not let it brown. It should become liquid and warm, nothing more. Remove from heat and set aside.

7. 7

   Cook the pasta

   Bring abundant salted water to a vigorous boil. Fresh tajarin cooks in 60 to 90 seconds. Watch carefully. Test a strand: it should be tender but with the faintest resistance. Drain quickly, reserving half a cup of the cooking water.

8. 8

   Finish and serve

   Add the drained pasta to the pan with the butter. Toss gently over very low heat, adding a splash of pasta water to help the butter coat every strand. The pasta should glisten, not swim. Divide among warmed plates immediately. Using a truffle shaver or very sharp mandoline, shave the white truffle generously over each portion at the table, in front of your guests. The aroma is part of the experience. Serve at once.

   The truffle must never touch heat. Shave it only after the pasta is plated. The warmth of the pasta releases the perfume; cooking would destroy it.

Chef Tips

• •The ratio of yolks to flour matters enormously. Traditional tajarin uses no water and minimal whole eggs. The yolks create the color, the richness, and the delicate texture. Do not substitute.
• •A fresh white truffle should feel firm, never spongy, and its aroma should fill the room when unwrapped. If it smells of nothing or of ammonia, it is past its prime. Do not buy truffles you cannot smell before purchasing.
• •Some Piedmontese add a whisper of Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table. Others consider this heresy. I offer no opinion. You must decide for yourself what the truffle needs.
• •If white truffle is unavailable or beyond your means, do not substitute black truffle or truffle oil. Make the tajarin with butter and sage instead. It will be delicious. It will not pretend to be something it is not.

Advance Preparation

• •The pasta dough can be made up to 24 hours ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before rolling.
• •Cut tajarin can rest on a floured tray for up to 2 hours before cooking. Do not refrigerate once cut; the strands will stick.
• •The truffle cannot wait. Use it within days of purchase. Store wrapped in paper towels inside an airtight container with eggs or rice (which will absorb its perfume and become a bonus ingredient).

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 195g)