Tartufo Nero Pregiato di Norcia
By Umbria
The region of Umbria, due to its favorable climatic conditions favors the presence of a variety of different truffles.
The best is definitely the black truffle of Norcia, that grows spontaneously only in the Val Nerina between November and March under oak and hazelnut trees.
In the past, pigs were used to find them but now specialized dogs are used because of their excellent sense of smell.Their use is highly regulated in order to preserve the environment in which the truffle grew.
Its dimensions vary and it is usually round but irregular; externally it is dark and hard, whereas the part inside is either brown or violet with veins that are light.
Depending on the season and the size of the truffle, truffles yield such high prices that they are sometimes nicknamed "black diamonds" and are the stars of the Truffle Market and Exhibition, held in Norcia every year between February and March.
It is used by cutting it into thin slices, and flavoring bread, meat, fish, eggs, and even a variety of starters. It is also used to aromatize olio and different types of sauces.
