How Much Truffle Should You Add to a Dish? A Guide to the Right Amount of White and Black Truffle

There are smells that cannot be hidden. One of them appears when fresh truffle is grated over warm tagliolin, eggs or simple pasta with butter. In a few seconds, the whole kitchen smells of the forest.

This scent is well known in Istria. Truffles have been found in the forests around Motovun for generations, and the experience with truffles has been passed down in the Bartolić family since the 1950s. However, when we bring a fresh truffle to the kitchen for the first time, the same question often arises: how many truffles should we actually put in the dish?

The answer depends on the type of truffle, the dish and whether you want the truffle to be the main star of the plate or just its aroma.

Below is a practical guide for the amount of white and black truffle per person.

How many truffles to put in the dish?

Most simple dishes do not need a large amount. Truffles have an intense aroma, so a few grams can make a big difference.

As a rule of thumb, you can calculate:

• 5–10 g truffles per person for pasta, risotto or eggs
• 10–15 g per person if you want a more pronounced truffle taste
• 15–20 g per person for special occasions when truffle is the main component of the dish

With white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico) often less is enough because its aroma fills the plate very quickly. With black truffles, the amount can be slightly higher, especially with milder types and dishes with more pronounced ingredients.

How you use the truffle is also important. Fresh truffles are usually thinly sliced ​​or fished immediately before serving, and not cooked for a long time.

How much white truffle to put in a dish?

The white truffle is one of the most valued types of truffles, and in Istria it is especially associated with the autumn season and forest areas where it is searched for with the help of specially trained dogs.

Its smell is strong and characteristic, which is why it is not necessary to put a lot of it.

For a simple dish like pasta with butter, we recommend approximately 5–10 g of white truffle per person.

For two people this means about 10–20 g of fresh white truffle.

If you have a quality fresh specimen, it should not be “drowned” in sauce. Pasta, butter or eggs should create a base on which the aroma of truffles will come to the fore.

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How many black truffles to put in a dish?

Black truffle can be a bit more rewarding to combine with different foods. Depending on the type and season, its aroma can be more delicate or more pronounced.

For pasta, risotto or eggs, count around 10 g of black truffle per person, and you can increase the amount if you want a stronger taste.

For dishes like meat, potatoes or creamy sauces, 10–15 g per person often works well, because the other ingredients have a more pronounced taste.

Black truffle can also be used in cooking, especially in sauces and hot dishes, but some of the fresh truffle is worth saving for finishing. A few thin leaves at the end give the dish a completely different smell.

How many truffles go in the pasta?

Pasta is perhaps the easiest way to get to know the true taste of truffles.

For one person, 5–10 g of white truffle or about 10 g of black truffle is enough.

The simplest combination is often the best: fresh pasta, a little butter, parmesan cheese if desired and freshly grated truffle.

With white truffles, the rule “less is more” is particularly valid. Its aroma does not need competition from a large number of ingredients.

Serve the pasta warm, but add the truffle just before serving to preserve its aroma.

How many truffles to put in risotto?

Risotto can handle a slightly more intense flavor because rice has a neutral base.

For one portion count:

• 5–10 g white truffle
• 10–15 g black truffle

If you are making a risotto for four people, that’s about 20–40 g white or 40–60 g black truffle.

A good base is butter and parmesan risotto, without too many spices. The truffle can be grated right before serving, and you can leave a few thin leaves on top.

And how many truffles go with the eggs?

Eggs and truffles are a classic combination precisely because eggs have a mild taste and a creamy texture.

For scrambled eggs, omelets or scrambled eggs, count 5–10 g truffles per person.

With white truffle, a few thin leaves over warm eggs are enough. The heat of the dish will help to develop the aroma without the need for long cooking.

With black truffle, you can add part of the truffle during preparation, and grate part at the end.

Why is it not good to overdo it with truffles?

When food is expensive, it’s easy to think that a larger quantity will automatically mean a better meal. This is not always the case with truffles.

The truffle should have space to be felt.

If we put too much of it, especially in a simple dish, its aroma can become dominant and lose the balance between truffles, pasta, butter, eggs or other ingredients.

That’s why when asking how many truffles to put in a dish it’s more important to think about intensity than just grams.

A quality fresh truffle should not be hidden behind ten other ingredients.

Fresh truffle or product with truffles?

There is a big difference between fresh truffles and truffle flavored products.

Fresh truffle is best used when you want to experience its natural smell and taste. Products such as truffles, sauces, butter or other products based on truffles can also be practical for everyday cooking.

If you are just starting to cook with truffles, you can start with a simple dish and a smaller amount. In this way, it will be easier for you to know the difference between white and black truffles and find the amount that suits you.

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From the kitchen to the Motovun forest

The truffle is also interesting because its journey to the plate begins long before the kitchen.

In Istria, truffles are searched for with the help of dogs that use their sense of smell to find what the human eye cannot see. In the forests around Motovun, the search takes place quietly, often early in the morning, until the dog suddenly stops and shows that it has found something under the ground.

It is this combination of forest, dog, man and truffle that is part of the Istrian tradition that is worth experiencing live.

If you want to see what the search for truffles looks like, you can join us in the truffle hunt in Istria and get to know the process from forest to plate.

BOOK A TRUFFLE HUNTING IN ISTRIA

How many truffles to put in a dish – a short guide

For quick orientation:

These are not strict rules. The type of truffle, its maturity, aroma and other ingredients affect the final result. With a particularly aromatic white truffle, a few grams will often be enough.

Truffle is not only measured in grams

Once you smell the smell of fresh truffle on warm pasta, it becomes clear why in Istria truffle is not considered just an ingredient.

It is part of gastronomy, but also part of the story about the forest, dogs, people and tradition.

In the Bartolić family, this story has been going on since the 1950s. Today you can get to know her through truffle products, fresh truffles and the experience of truffle hunting in Istria.

If you want to prepare a dish with a real Istrian truffle yourself, visit our stores in Motovun, Poreč or Rovinj, order products through our webshop or book your own truffle hunt.

VISIT OUR WEBSHOP AND CHOOSE A TRUFFLE FOR YOUR DISH

BOOK A TRUFFLE HUNTING IN ISTRIA