It’s truffle seasons, and how better to devour a freshly unearthed Western Australian black truffle than heaped onto an elevated, ultra-luxe Truffle Mac and Cheese.
We have been a tad pre-occupied with a new addition to the family. He came all the way from WA, swaddled with great care, and we’re completely smitten. Grown in the southern forests of Manjimup – where the rich soils and rainfall provide the perfect environment for producing truffles – we’ve fêted and fussed over the heart-shaped black truffle so much that the kids named him Cello – after Monaciello, the adorable pooch who uncovered him (and who we met via a card in our delivery).
But, being the terrible truffle sitters we are, we ate him. The aroma that emanated from his every pore was impossible to resist. We did give this fine specimen of trufflehood the best life possible in the days before he was devoured, sealing him in a jar full of arborio rice with a dozen fresh eggs. His sacrifice was for the greater good (of our bellies) as we have already enjoyed shavings of him in a luxe home-made pasta (made with care by the kids) served with a rich porcini mushroom and truffle sauce, roast quail and more freshly shaved truffle, and a delicious dessert of pear tarte tatin with truffle ice cream.
But it was a truly decadent truffle mac and cheese that had the family squealing with culinary delight. Comfort food meets luxury, this truffle mac and cheese is creamy, rich and oozing with the flavour of four cheeses, elevated to a whole other level with lardons of crispy flat pancetta and an abundance of earthy truffle.
Though Cello is gone, he is certainly not forgotten as we still have a dozen truffled eggs and arborio rice to devour because, when stored right, a truffle is the gift that keeps on giving.
In that spirit of sharing, here’s our recipe for our ultra-luxe truffle mac and cheese.
Note: The Australian Truffle season runs until September and Australian Truffle Traders, suppliers of black truffles to some of the greatest chefs in the world (and who generously gifted us our truffle) are still unearthing perfect truffles, so you still have a chance for some truffly goodness of your own. If you’re based in WA, you can book a truffle hunt but if, like us, you’re locked down and truffle deprived, visit their online shop to have on its way to your door within 24-48 hours of it being unearthed.
Notes
Ingredients
- 450 grams elbow pasta
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 250 grams flat pancetta, sliced into lardons
- 250 ml pure cream
- 150 ml milk
- 1 cup grated raclette
- 1 cup grated aged cheddar
- 1 cup grated provolone
- 2 cups grated Gruyère
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 20 gms fresh black truffle
- Salt and ground black pepper and salt to taste
- Fresh thyme
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni in a saucepan with boiling salted water and follow packet instructions, minus one minute.
- Drain and refresh in iced water, to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.
- Heat a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the diced pancetta and cook until fat is rendered, and lardons are crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Add the garlic and introduce the cream to the same pan, bringing to the boil then reducing heat to simmer.
- Slowly incorporate the garlic and cheeses, reserving about 1/10 of the cheese mix, and simmer gently until all the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened. Add milk as needed.
- Add the macaroni and season.
- Finely grate half of the truffle into the Mix.
- Add three quarters of the cooked pancetta.
- Place the macaroni mixture into four ramekins.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheese, then top with breadcrumbs.
- Place under grill until a golden crust forms.
- Top with remaining pancetta, shavings of truffle and a sprig of fresh thyme.
Disclaimer: Australian Truffle Traders in Manjimup gifted us a black truffle, but we subsequently purchased the truffle used for this recipe.
