Truffle season is in full swing, to the delight of chefs, who give it the pride of place on their menus. This is the case with Cristian Moreschi, executive chef at the Principe Leopoldo restaurant. Even though truffles offer a truly tantalising taste, it isn’t always easy to choose the right one… Which is why the chef is here to help, offering his tips and tricks to make your truffle dishes a success!
Les Grandes Tables de Suisse: There are white truffles and black truffles… Which truffle do you prefer to work with?
Cristian Moreschi: Surely if you have the opportunity to find and buy white truffles, working with its quality is very stimulating: it has very specific, unique characteristics. Of course, the black truffle is also an excellent product, but with different characteristics and completely different aromas.
Les Grandes Tables de Suisse: How can you recognise a good truffle?
Cristian Moreschi: A good truffle is recognisable by the scent and compactness, by the solidity of the so-called “potato”.
Les Grandes Tables de Suisse: How do you like to prepare the black and white truffles and why?
Cristian Moreschi: The black truffle is an ingredient that works very well with dishes based on white meat, such as poultry; it is, however, interesting to experience how it behaves even with more particular combinations. In this moment, for example, we have chosen to combine it with a beef fillet in a nut crust, with a delicate Madeira sauce. The white truffle with its richness goes very well with simple and rustic dishes, which give ample space to its recognisable flavor and its intoxicating, inebriant aroma: classics revisited like a simple fried egg, a beautiful potato purée enriched with fresh butter or whites noodles with a taleggio fondue.
In general, fats are always present in winning combinations, because they are vehicles and transmitters of flavours without equal. The search for the perfect dish therefore leads to a single result: a simple combination and at the same time rich in flavors.
Les Grandes Tables de Suisse: …And with the white truffle? What are the mistakes that should be avoided when cooking them?
Cristian Moreschi: Perhaps already in using the sentence “cooking the truffle” we are committing the first mistake: it is imperative not to ruin the raw material, so the best method to keep all the properties of the truffle intact is to be able to garnish it over a beautiful dish, at the last moment. It is precisely in this precious moment, when the truffle comes into contact with the dish, that this precious ingredient is able to release all of its scent.
Les Grandes Tables de Suisse: What is your tip to make homemade truffle pasta tasty and creamy?
Cristian Moreschi: We cook tagliolini for ¾ of the cooking time and finish the process in some butter and a little broth, in order to create an emulsion that gives life to a harmonious creaminess.
Les Grandes Tables de Suisse: You currently offer an à la carte truffle menu. What is your favorite dish to make on it?
Cristian Moreschi: At the Principe Leopoldo Restaurant we have a small menu with our “strong dishes”, highly-appreciated revisited classics. Personally, I really love the pumpkin and potato gnocchi with taleggio fondue, with a nice grating of truffle on top of course.
Les Grandes Tables de Suisse: Finally, which wine would you recommend pairing with truffle pasta?
Cristian Moreschi: On the menu, we have an excellent Barbaresco red wine from the Giacosa brothers: a remarkable grape that immediately gave me an excellent impression when I tasted it. Or you could also be daring with a more unusual combination, such as with a Rosé sparkling wine.
Discover the menu and make a reservation here: https://leopoldohotel.com/en/restaurant-bar/
