Homemade Fettuccine and White Truffles of Alba

December 2, 2016

Homemade Fettuccine and White Truffles of Alba

The holidays are the best times to indulge in favorite foods.

On the day before Thanksgiving, I stopped to buy truffles at Urbani in New York City. Urbani is the largest truffle company in the world, with locations in more than 60 different countries. Luckily, a shipment had just arrived from Italy, and the truffles I chose were picked less than 24-hours before I walked into the shop. If you’re unfamiliar with truffles - the non-chocolate variety - they're a type of fungus that grows on the roots of trees, such as oaks and beeches. Truffles are decadently delicious and among the most exotic and costly delicacies. In fact, they are prized by chefs all over the world. Truffles are also quite fascinating because of how they're grown and gathered - I was so excited to share them with my family.

Over the holiday weekend, I cooked fettuccini from scratch and served it with white truffle for dinner. It was simply fabulous! Enjoy these photos.

: The white truffle of Alba, Tuber magnatum pico, is the most special and the most rare of all truffles – it’s grown wild and only in season a couple months of the year. https://www.urbani.com

: I adore shaved white truffle over homemade pasta! Its flavor is sublime. The white truffle has never been successfully cultivated and is currently priced at more than 165-dollars per ounce.

: The white truffle, also known as tartufo bianco di Alba is characterized by its irregular shape, due to the hardness and unevenness of the soil in which it grows. This type of truffle is yellow-green in color and smooth to the touch.

: Here I am with Nazzareno Miele from Urbani Truffles in New York City just before I left for Maine. The truffles I purchased were just harvested the day before – I was so excited.

: I planned to serve the truffle with dinner on Saturday after Thanksgiving. I took this photo that morning. This view is from the upper terrace of Skylands. Sutton Island is in the distance – a small, private island south of where I am on Mount Desert.

: These magnificent red spruce trees frame the glorious view of Seal Harbor.

: I’ve been using a hand cranked pasta maker for years. This machine really presses the dough well.

: I made a simple but delicious fettucine using two cups double-zero flour, three eggs, 1/4-teaspoon salt, and one teaspoon olive oil. When the dough was made I flattened it into small rectangles to fit through the pasta machine.

: After the dough rectangles are rolled through the pasta machine set at its widest openings and then through progressively narrower settings, it is fed through the attachment to form fettuccine strips.

: Once the fettuccine was made, I placed batches on a parchment paper covered tray. I showed the entire process for making pasta on my television show, “Martha Stewart’s Cooking School” – the recipe is on my web site. http://www.marthastewart.com/972476/basic-pasta

: There was enough delicious pasta for everyone.

: I also prepared the greens for the salad. After washing, lettuce should be patted dry, and then either used immediately or layered between clean tea towels in the refrigerator’s crisper to preserve the taste and texture.

: Bibb lettuce, also known as Boston, butterhead, or limestone lettuce, is a leafy green that’s known for its distinctive creamy flavor and crisp, crunchy texture.

: Romaine has deep green, long leaves with a crisp texture and deep taste.

: I mixed the two together and drizzled each salad with a vinaigrette dressing.

: Meanwhile, I cooked the pasta in boiling salted water for two to four minutes, until al dente.

: Fresh homemade pasta has such a beautiful color.

: Once it was cooked, I plated the fettuccine on top of a creamy white sauce.

: Each plate was filled with delicious homemade pasta.

: For the truffles, I used my professional truffle slicer. This French slicer is made of heavy, cast stainless steel, with razor-sharp stainless steel blades that are adjustable. Similar ones are available at J.B. Prince Company in NYC. http://www.jbprince.com