Truffle Pasta

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This Creamy Truffle Pasta recipe is easy to make with truffle oil, mushrooms, and a Parmesan cream sauce with pappardelle pasta. It’s a gourmet-style dinner that you’ll absolutely love!

Talk about gourmet status! This truffle pasta has pappardelle pasta tossed in a flavorful Parmesan cream sauce with hints of truffle oil and flavorful mushrooms. This is an easy dish that you can make at home, and it will definitely put your favorite restaurant pasta dishes to the ultimate test.

Ingredients:

Sauces

• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ beef bouillon cube, can sub chicken if needed
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon EACH: parsley, onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, oregano

Mushrooms/Pasta, etc.

• 1 teaspoon black truffle oil, see notes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 4 oz. diced pancetta
• ¾ cup dry white wine, see notes
• 8 oz. cremini/baby bella mushrooms, see notes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 8 oz. Pappardelle pasta

Directions:

1. Combine the sauce ingredients  in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning. This recipe goes fairly fast, so have everything ready to go.

2. Heat the truffle oil and 1 teaspoon of olive oil  over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Pro tip: Sprinkle the mushrooms with a little salt to enhance their flavor.) When you begin to see liquid in the skillet, increase heat to medium-high. Cook for 3 more minutes, stirring often. Remove and set aside.

3. Begin boiling a pot of salted pasta water  for the pasta while you proceed with the following steps.

4. Add remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil  to the same skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the butter and garlic  and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the wine and bring it to a gentle bubble. Reduce by half, about 5 minutes.

6. Stir in the flour  and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

7. Add the combined sauce mixture  (from step 1) in small splashes, stirring continuously. Add the mushrooms back.

8. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer. Cover partially and stir occasionally while you  cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions, about 7-10 minutes. Drain once cooked.

9. Reduce heat to low and  stir in the Parmesan cheese followed by the lemon juice.

10. Add the cooked pasta  and toss to combine. Serve with freshly cracked pepper and olive oil bread dip!

Notes:

• Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This doesn’t reheat exactly back to its original consistency but the flavor is great.
• Reheating this pasta in a makeshift double boiler on the stove top is the best way to restore it to its original form.

Pro Tips:

• Truffle Oil: I use TRUFF truffle oil for this recipe. I got it on Amazon, but your local grocery store may have it. It's potent, so only use 1 tsp. of it. This dish can be made without it if you can't get it, just use an additional tsp. of olive oil. 
• Pancetta: I use Veroni diced Pancetta. Prosciutto or even finely diced ham can also be used.
• Mushrooms: Cremini, (or baby portobella) mushrooms are best because they have a browner color and firmer texture than white button mushrooms, but white button can certainly be used as well.
• Wine: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc are great wine options to deglaze the pan with. An equal amount of chicken or beef broth may be used if you don’t cook with wine.
• Parmesan Cheese: Grate the cheese from a wedge, it will melt and taste much better than packaged grated cheese. I use Belgioioso parmesan.
• Add the cheese over low heat, a base that's too hot will cause the dairy to separate and create a grainy consistency.
• Pasta: I use Delallo Pappardelle for this recipe, but a variety of options work well, including Fettuccine, Penne, Linguine, Rigatoni, Cavatappi,  and Farfalle.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves for this recipe (not jarred minced garlic), the taste is so much better.
• Flavor Enhancers: The hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon are all flavor enhancers that you can’t taste outright.
• The lemon juice can't be tasted outright either, it just brightens up the other flavors. It can be omitted if needed. Fresh lemon juice is best (vs. jarred), if possible.
• Pasta Water: Always feel free to reserve pasta water as a precaution for creamy sauces. If the sauce becomes thick/clumpy, a small splash of pasta water will smooth it out.