Pasta with the tastiest truffle oil ever

Let Sharon from FavorFlav to get us drooling over a plate of steaming pasta. A truffle pasta but on a budget, which does extremely well on a Friday night, I thought. This is how you do it, honestly copied.

When I don't feel like cooking, but still want to eat well and also muy rapido, there's one dish I always score with: a steaming plate of truffle pasta. The budget way. Without real truffles, but with very, very tasty truffle oil.

Nothing synthetic

Most truffle oils you find in the supermarket are better left out of your basket. This synthetic stuff does give off an overwhelming truffle aroma, but that's the only link to the underground fungus. The oelala-feeling of the smell immediately lets you down as soon as you take a bite. Just as much of a disappointment as that Italian holiday romance you never hear from again once you're home.

I was as happy as a child when I stumbled upon Valderrama's truffle oil. The real deal comes in a white and a black variant – and both truffle oils are produced with Spanish Ocal olive oil, the mildest and most delicate variety. The natural truffle flavor is obtained by drying the truffles in a controlled process, followed by a maceration process (cold soaking). After that, the truffles are united with the olive oil through infusion.

And this is how you make that divine pasta with truffle oil:

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 400 grams of linguine
• 75 grams Parmesan cheese
• truffle oil (from Valderrama)
• a little bit of regular, mild olive oil
• arugula
• pine nuts
• salt and pepper
• optional for extra freshness: a few drops of lemon juice

Preparation
Cook the linguine according to the instructions on the package in plenty of salted water.

Meanwhile, lightly brown the pine nuts over low heat. Remember: low heat. Burnt pine nuts are a no go.

Drain the pasta. Cover the plates with a handful of arugula and scoop the linguine on top. Drizzle some regular, mild olive oil over the pasta – and don't be generous, because that beloved truffle oil will also go on top. Keep it moderate here too, you can always add more.

A little salt and pepper to taste. Grate the Parmesan cheese over it and sprinkle the pine nuts over the pasta. For some freshness: drizzle some lemon juice over the pasta. A tavola!

Text: FavorFlav