Truffles: how I love them! Just the smell alone is enough to make me crave some pasta with grated truffle on top.
When Tom Weber, The Palladian Traveler, and I were invited to spend a weekend savouring the delights of the Terni area of Umbria, the first thing I thought of was the wonderfully hearty Umbrian food, its robust wines and, of course, its famous truffles.
We were invited to Terni, home to the famous Marmore Falls (pictured above) in Umbria by GAL Ternano – Terni’s Local Action Group – who were promoting the delights of this lovely region. Their emphasis is on its history and its spectacular landscape – a mecca for agriturismi (farmhouse-type accommodation) – plus the typical foods and wines produced locally.
Our arrival time was arranged for 17.00 at Ristorante Piermarini in the little town of Ferentillo. Arriving punctually, Tom and I agreed that we were extremely interested in the idea of a visit to Piermarini, as this is the restaurant which was recently chosen by Eataly to represent the Umbrian region at EXPO 2015 in Milan. Famous for its truffles and cooking school, Piermarini is nestled in idyllic pastoral surroundings, just outside the town.
The farm of the Piermarini family – Primo and Paola along with their daughter Carol – also produces high quality olive and black truffle oils, as well as farro (wheat grain, also known as spelt) and lentils. They have one thousand olive trees on their farm.
The cooking school is very popular and at the end of the classes the students move to the dining room where they sit down to taste the dishes they have created during the class. These dishes are paired with suitable local wines. There are even classes for children as young as five years old.
Apparently, the best months for truffles in Umbria are January and February and the Piermarini family organise truffle hunts with their highly trained dogs, followed by cookery classes on how to cook truffles.
Highly trained truffle-hunter
Primo demonstrated how to make tasty pizza-type tomato bread, then effortlessly whipped up a batch of picchiettini pasta.
Escorted into the kitchen, we were shown slabs of vacuum packed truffle, which had been grated and frozen. To cook them, Primo warmed some olive oil with big cloves of garlic – which he subsequently removed – and the thawed, vacuum packed truffle was then mashed into the warm oil. This was served up later at dinner with the picchiettini. Delicious!
Picchiettini with black truffles
Tom chatted to Paolo Silveri, who has been mayor of Ferentillo for the past eleven years,
Tom Weber with Paolo Silveri, Mayor of Ferentillo
plus various dignitaries from GAL Ternano, including its president Albano Agabidi. They told us how they had been restoring monuments locally and have restored 180 over the past ten years. They are especially proud of the frescoes in Arrone, which were, happily, on our schedule for the following day.
Overtaken by hunger, after seeing all this incredible food being prepared, we queued eagerly for some prosciutto crudo – which had been cured on site – carved by Primo himself.
Our wonderful home-produced dinner consisted of lentil soup (of course, it’s Umbria) with olive oil; the aforementioned picchiettini with truffles; roasted pork with vegetables and a medley of desserts. We drank Trebbiano Spoletino, which was a perfect pairing.
Stay with me for a series of blogs on Umbria, which I will bring to you over the next few weeks.
Orna O’Reilly
Veneto, Italy
#umbriatourism #regioneumbria #ternitolove
Orna O'Reilly: Travelling Italy 
Your photos are great. What a fun day. I went truffle hunting when I was in Le Marche a few years ago. That is an experience that I will always remember. Fantastic. I actually am not a fan of the taste of them which is a shame as we had so much we were giving them away.
I’m a truffle addict. Wish I’d been there when you were giving them away! Our three days in Umbria were very interesting and I have three more blogs on the subject pending. Frescoes and vineyards, not necessarily in that order! Orna
I shall look forward to them Orna. Lyn
I love truffles myself! How can you not? Sounds like you guys had a wonderful time and look forward to reading the other articles. I love that they have cooking classes for 5 year olds. Start them young.
Thanks Jennifer. Yes. How brilliant to begin to learn to cook real, home-grown Italian food at such an early age. We did have a great time sampling the various delights that Terni has to offer.
I love truffles, save some for me! sounds like the perfect day you guys had 🙂
That was the first evening only; a prelude to two further days of being shown around the area by well-informed locals – plus, of course, eating and drinking a variety of the local fare. But the truffles that first evening were superb. 🙂
I have never been (yet) to Piermarini’s but I’ll love to go there soon. The food there must be outstanding. I liked reading your blog post. Thank you!
Thank you! Yes, Piermarini was pretty special and it’s a beautiful part of Italy. More Umbria posts coming soon,
What a great place. I haven’t been to that area. It seems a visit is needed.
You must visit Umbria. It’s spectacularly beautiful.
We have a house in Castel di Lago(Arrone) and have been to Piermarini several times and we have never been disappointed! Thinking about doing the truffle hunting tour when we are back in Umbria in January! Umbria is wonderful and absolutely the real Italy ❤
I bet it would be great fun. Let me know how you get on. 🙂
MMmmmmm, my tastebuds are tingling just at your photos Orna and who doesn’t love a black truffle grated over their pasta?! Fabulous!!
Thanks Liz. I’m a huge truffle fan…..just one deliciously musty whiff and I MUST indulge. 🙂
I know the feeling!! ;o)
Orna, I am really enjoying your wonderful blogs, what a beautiful country, photographs are amazing, a visit to Umbria is a definite Yes!
Hi Cathy. Delighted you’re enjoying my blogs. Umbria is rightly known as “the green heart of Italy.” You need to plan a visit! Orna
Well, I missed Terni, but not truffles…went truffle hunting in the hills above Spello (will be writing about it!) but so many lovely places to visit…thank you for taking me to Terni! 😀
Never been actually truffle hunting, but that frisky little doggie in the photo gave us a demo! We must try to meet up on your next visit to Italy. 🙂
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