The Black Diamond of Istria

In the hinterlands of Istria, among the dark, dense forests surrounding the medieval towns of Motovun and Buzet, deep in the clay, an underground truffle mecca can be found. These are some of the richest grounds for uncovering the black diamond of Istria, better known as the truffle.

Only the most experienced Istrians and their canine companions are capable of sniffing out this potent subterranean fungus.

Istria’s abundance of truffles has been a well kept secret from the rest of the international food world for years, and people are finally starting to take notice. There are three varieties of black truffle that can be found in the heart-shaped peninsula’s oak forests, as well as the more rare, premium white truffle. This gourmet delicacy has been used in Istrian cooking for years, and one of the most popular ways of preparing it is with traditional Istrian pasta, fuži. For a taste of Istria, try the recipe below!

Make the dough by mixing together the flour, egg and a little bit of salted water. Once the dough comes together, it should be soft and easy to roll. On a surface sprinkled with flour, roll out the dough as thin as possible, then cut out 4x4 cm squares. To make the shape of traditional fuži, take opposite corners of the square and fold them into the center. Once all of the fuži have been shaped, cook them in boiling water as you would regular pasta. Feel free to use store-bought fuži instead!