Italy is famous worldwide for its truffles. Black winter truffles, formally known as Tuber melanosporum Vitt., deserve as much praise as the prized white variety from Alba. In season from November to March, these dark tubers have an earthy, rich flavor that is more aromatic than their summer cousins. Risotto al Tartufo Nero is a buttery risotto topped with shaved fresh black winter truffles — a dish Eataly chefs make with Urbani truffles.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 6-8 cups broth (a vegetable or cheese broth works well)
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 cups Arborio rice or Carnaroli rice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (our chefs use Occelli)
- 1 cup white wine
- ½ cup Grana Padano DOP, finely grated
- 2 oz fresh black winter truffles (our chefs use Urbani)
How to make Black Truffle Risotto
- Heat the broth in a pot until almost boiling. Cover it and keep it very hot on the stove near the risotto pan.
- Add the olive oil, onion and ½ teaspoon of the salt to a saucepan. Set over medium heat and stir well as the onion starts to soften. Stir frequently and cook for about 8 minutes, until the onion is wilted and just starting to brown.
- Add all the rice at once and increase the heat. Stir the rice and onion continuously, toasting the grains without browning them, until they make a clicking sound as you turn them in the pan, 2 minutes or more.
- Pour in the wine and keep stirring for a couple more minutes, all around the pan, until the moisture has evaporated and the rice is dry. Immediately ladle in 2 cups of the almost-simmering broth — enough to cover the rice — and decrease the heat.
- Cook, stirring steadily, until the liquid is almost totally absorbed, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Quickly ladle in more broth to cover the rice and add the other ½ teaspoon of salt. Keep stirring as the rice swells and releases its starches and a thick, creamy suspension starts to form.
- When the broth is almost completely absorbed and you can see the bottom of the saucepan as you stir, ladle in another cup or so of broth.
- Keep track of how much broth you add. After incorporating 6 cups (or a bit more) over 15 to 19 minutes, taste the rice for texture and seasoning. Add more salt or more hot broth if needed.
- The risotto is perfectly cooked when it is both al dente and creamy. Turn off the heat and immediately drop the butter pieces into the saucepan. Stir vigorously to mix the butter into the risotto. This final step is known as mantecare in Italian.
- Stir in the ½ cup of grated Grana Padano DOP. For each serving, spoon a mound of risotto into a warm bowl and immediately shave paper-thin flakes of fresh black truffle over the top. Serve right away, as the heat releases the aroma of the truffle.
