Fritaja with truffles: The scent of an Istrian morning on your plate
In our Bartolić family, truffle fritaja is not just a recipe. It is a ritual. It is a reward after waking up early and spending hours in the Motovun forest with our dogs. Since the 1950s, when the tradition of our craft began, we have learned that the simplest things are often the most valuable. Fritaja is a humble dish, but when combined with truffles, it becomes a royal feast that tells the story of the Istrian land.
The secret recipe for the perfect truffle fritaja
Although every home in Istria has its own little secret, in the Bartolić family we stick to the rule “less is more”. For a truffle to shine, it must not have too much competition on the plate.
Ingredients (for 2 people):
4-5 home-made eggs (those with bright yellow yolks are best)
20-30 g fresh truffles (black or white)
A pinch of salt (careful, truffles love salt, but not too much)
A pinch of freshly ground pepper
A tablespoon of homemade butter or extra virgin olive oil
A tablespoon of sour cream or a little milk (for extra creaminess)
Preparation:
Preparing the truffles: Carefully clean the fresh truffle with a soft brush. If you are using black truffles, you can finely grate half into a bowl with eggs, and leave the other half for grating into flakes.
Beating the eggs: Lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Do not beat them too much; we want traces of white and yolk to be visible. Add salt, pepper and a tablespoon of cream.
Frying pan: Melt the butter over medium heat. Be careful not to let it darken.
Baking: Pour the eggs into the frying pan. Let them sit for about ten seconds to “grab” the bottom, then gently pull them towards the middle with a spatula. The frittata must remain soft and shiny.
Finale: Remove the pan from the heat while the eggs are still a little “wet”. It is this residual heat that will finish them off perfectly on the plate.
Coronation: Now comes the most important moment. Take a grater and in front of your guests (or just for your own enjoyment) grate the truffle flakes generously over the warm frittata.
How to enrich a frittata if you don’t have fresh truffles?
We are aware that fresh truffles are not always available, especially outside the white truffle season. However, this does not mean that you have to give up the superb taste. Our everyday cuisine often uses our ready-made products that are designed to retain this original aroma.
Tartufata: Just one teaspoon mixed into eggs before frying will transform ordinary scrambled eggs into a fragrant delicacy.
Truffle butter: Use it instead of regular butter for frying frittatas. Fat is the best carrier of the truffle aroma.
Truffle salt: Even ordinary eggs look luxurious with a pinch of this fragrant salt.
