Crostini al Tartufo Umbri

Name: Crostini al Tartufo Umbri
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Umbra
Ingredients: 60 g fresh black truffle; 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 20 g salted anchovy fillets; 1 clove Garlic; 8 slices pane casareccio or pane sciapo; 1 pinch Fine sea salt; 1 pinch Black pepper

Warm black truffle and melted anchovy paste spread over crisp rustic bread. Known locally around Spoleto as crostini alla spoletina, this is the classic Umbrian starter.

🇮🇹Italy· Umbria

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 25 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 290 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 7 gathered

Servings

60 g fresh black truffle — Norcia black truffle or summer truffle, brushed clean
60 ml Extra virgin olive oil — Umbrian olive oil with a fruity, peppery profile
20 g salted anchovy fillets — rinsed, boned, and finely minced (about 4 fillets)
1 clove Garlic — peeled and lightly crushed
8 slices pane casareccio or pane sciapo — rustic unsalted country bread, cut 1.5 cm thick
1 pinch Fine sea salt — to balance flavour if needed
1 pinch Black pepper — freshly ground

Equipment

•Microplane grater
•Small heavy saucepan
•Wooden spoon
•Bread knife
•Baking sheet or grill pan

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 290 kcal
fat: 15 g
carbs: 32 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 7 g
calories: 290 kcal

Instructions

1
Clean the black truffle thoroughly using a soft brush and a damp cloth to remove all soil.
2
Grate the cleaned truffle finely using a microplane or small-hole box grater into a bowl.
3
Place the extra virgin olive oil and crushed garlic clove into a small saucepan over low heat.
4
Add the finely minced anchovy fillets to the warm oil.
5
Stir gently until the anchovies melt completely into a smooth paste without sizzling.
6
Discard the garlic clove and remove the saucepan completely from the heat.
7
Tip the grated truffle into the warm oil mixture immediately.
8
Stir well, letting the residual heat gently release the earthy truffle aroma without cooking it.
9
Season the paste with a tiny pinch of salt and black pepper.
10
Toast the bread slices under a grill or in the oven until golden and crisp.
11
Spread the warm truffle paste generously over the hot toasted bread slices and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Never let the oil boil or sizzle when adding the truffle, as high heat instantly destroys its delicate aroma. Anchovies provide savoury depth rather than fishiness, acting as the traditional seasoning base in Spoleto. If using winter black truffle, warm it very gently; if using summer truffle, grate it extra fine to release maximum scent.

Ingredient substitutions

pane sciapo → any crusty country sourdough bread cut into sturdy slices
fresh black truffle → high-quality preserved whole black truffle in olive oil, drained and grated

Storage

The prepared truffle paste can be kept in a sealed glass jar in the fridge for up to two days under a thin film of olive oil.

Reheating

Warm the paste gently in a small bowl set over warm water before spreading onto freshly toasted bread.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Cooking the truffle directly over high heat, which makes it lose its delicate fragrance.
•Leaving large chunks of anchovy instead of gently dissolving them into the warm oil.
•Using pre-flavoured artificial truffle oils, which overpower the natural earthiness of genuine truffle.