Few ingredients can transform a dish the way truffle does. Its aroma alone — earthy, intense, unmistakable — is enough to fill a dining room and turn a dinner into a memory. In this guide we explain what truffle really is, how to tell the varieties apart, when to look for it and how we bring it to the table in the heart of Milan, just a short walk from the Navigli.
White or black? The truffle varieties
The most famous is the white truffle (Tuber magnatum): highly prized, with a rich, lingering aroma, and always eaten raw. The black winter truffle (Tuber melanosporum) is bolder and can take a little heat. Then there is the summer truffle (Tuber aestivum), milder and more affordable, along with other minor varieties. Each one has its own season, aroma and use.
Truffle isn’t cooked: it is barely touched. A few thin shavings, at the right moment, are enough to turn a simple dish into something unforgettable.
How it is served
The golden rule is restraint. White truffle is served in thin raw shavings, at the very last moment, over dishes that won’t overpower it: an egg, buttered pasta, a risotto, a light fondue. Black truffle can handle brief contact with heat and releases its aroma over hot dishes. Temperature matters: truffle is at its best on a steaming plate, shaved at the table.
Our white truffle dishes
At Trattoria da Panciroli, during white truffle season, we serve it on three dishes designed to bring out its aroma without covering it:
- Soft-boiled egg, potato cream, parmesan and white truffle — the runny yolk, the sweetness of the potato and the savoury parmesan: the most classic stage for truffle.
- Homemade tajarin with white truffle — thin egg pasta, made in house, that catches every shaving.
- Fassona beef tartare with white truffle — raw beef and raw truffle: an essential pairing, all about the quality of the ingredients.
When: truffle season
The truffle calendar follows the seasons: the white truffle arrives in autumn, roughly from October to December; the black winter truffle belongs to the colder months; the summer truffle is found in summer. That is why truffle is the ultimate off-menu ingredient: it is there when nature allows, and it should be enjoyed at its peak.
How to choose and store it
A good truffle is firm to the touch and has an intense but clean aroma, never with a hint of ammonia. Keep it in the fridge, wrapped in paper towel, in a closed container, for a few days at most. A traditional trick: store it with eggs or rice, which absorb its aroma for another dish.
Come and taste it: we’re in the heart of Milan
We look forward to welcoming you to our trattoria, a short walk from the Navigli, to discover white truffle in its season. Take a look at our menu and book your table.