Istrian Pasta with Truffles (Fuži s tartufima)
Istarski fuži s tartufima Say it: EES-tar-skee FOO-zhee sa TAR-too-fee-mah
Fuži s tartufima is the Istrian dish to look for from autumn into winter, when black or white truffles appear in home kitchens and konobas across the region. The pasta is a hand-formed, quill-like fuž made from an egg-and-wine dough, served with a butter-based truffle sauce. A hard, sharp cheese is grated over at the end, giving each bite an earthy, savory richness. For anyone cooking it at home, the practical task is to shape the fuži promptly and keep the sauce at a gentle heat so the truffle perfume stays clear.
Istrian Pasta with Truffles (Fuži s tartufima)
Istarski fuži s tartufima
Pronounced EES-tar-skee FOO-zhee sa TAR-too-fee-mah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg, celery. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Pasta Dough
Truffle Sauce
Method
Mound the flour on a board or put it in a wide bowl, then hollow out a broad crater in the middle. Crack the eggs into the crater and add the olive oil, white wine and salt. Use a fork to whisk the liquids, pulling flour in from the rim as you go; trickle in 1–2 tablespoons water only if needed to make the mixture come together.
Work the dough by hand for 8–10 minutes, until it feels supple, elastic and not tacky. Invert a bowl over it or cover with plastic wrap, then leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Cut the rested dough into four portions. Roll each one into a sheet roughly 1–2 mm thick, adding a little flour if it sticks. With a knife or fluted pasta wheel, slice the sheets into strips 3–4 cm wide, then cut across them to make 3–4 cm squares.
To form a fuž, bring two opposite corners of a square together, cross them at the middle and pinch hard with a fingertip so they hold; the result is a small horn or quill. Set finished pieces in one layer on a flour-dusted tray and continue with the remaining dough.
Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a strong boil. In a wide skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the grated truffle (or tartufata), the ¼ cup water or pasta water, Vegeta, pepper and parsley; cook gently for 1–2 minutes, keeping fresh truffle from boiling vigorously.
Add the fuži to the boiling water and cook until they rise and are tender with a little bite, about 2–4 minutes for fresh pasta. Scoop out about ½ cup cooking water, then drain the pasta or lift it with a spider into the skillet.
Turn the heat to low and toss the fuži through the truffle sauce for roughly 1 minute. If it seems tight, add a splash of the reserved water so the sauce coats the pasta as a light glaze.
Plate at once in warmed shallow bowls. Finish with the grated cheese and, if available, a few extra shavings of fresh truffle.
Regional variant: Fuži with Istrian stew (fuži sa žgvacetom)
Swap the truffle butter for a slowly cooked Istrian meat sauce. Sear diced chicken, beef or game with onion, then add tomato, red wine, rosemary and a small amount of stock; simmer until the meat is tender. Fold the cooked fuži into the sauce and serve it as a hearty cold-weather main.
Cook's notes
- When fresh truffles are unavailable, a reputable black truffle sauce (tartufata) is the closest match; truffle oil is not a good stand-in because its scent is quite unlike fresh truffle.
- While shaping, keep the fuži in a single layer, dust them lightly with flour and cover them with a dry towel so they do not dry out.
- Fresh truffles should not be rinsed; clean them with a soft brush and dry them gently just before they go into the pan.
Serve with
A salad of bitter greens, fresh crusty white bread and a chilled glass of Istrian Malvazija.
Make ahead and storage
The shaped fuži keep in the refrigerator for as long as 24 hours, or they can be frozen on a tray. Make the truffle sauce fresh when possible; if reheating leftovers, use low heat and loosen with a little pasta water.
