Vitelium Truffle Pesto, 90 g. Tartufata made from button mushrooms and summer truffles with extra virgin olive oil from their own groves – vegan, for the pantry.
Vitelium Truffle Pesto, 90 g is a tartufata from Molise: 69 percent button mushrooms, 5 percent summer truffles (Tuber aestivum), extra virgin olive oil from Vitelium's own groves, salt, and natural flavoring. Spreadable, finely seasoned, and vegan, in a 90 g jar. No cream, no cheese, no herbs – a mushroom-truffle pesto for households that regularly have pasta on the table.
Truffle pesto from Vitelium is what is known as tartufata in Molise: a mushroom sauce in which button mushrooms and summer truffles are finely chopped and bound with olive oil and salt. Fresh truffles are only available for a few weeks a year, and they hardly last a week in the refrigerator. Tartufata brings that flavor into a jar and into your pantry, at any time of year. Vitelium makes it according to a classic regional recipe, with truffles from a hunter in the neighboring village and oil from their own groves. The 90 g jar is the right size for kitchens where the pesto becomes a staple after the first taste.
Flavor
Earthy, savory, with a finish of green olive oil: that is how tartufata tastes straight from the spoon. The button mushrooms are soft and slightly nutty, forming the base, while the summer truffle adds its earthy, slightly garlicky aroma. Natural flavoring supports this truffle note, as the summer truffle has a significantly subtler profile than the white truffle of late autumn.
The olive oil in the jar is Vitelium's extra virgin olive oil from early-harvested green olives. It contributes a fine note of bitterness and a hint of pepper, which keeps the pesto vibrant and prevents it from feeling heavy. Salt is the only other ingredient besides the flavoring. The paste is fine-textured and can be spread cold on bread or stirred into a sauce while warm.
Compared to the Porcini Mushroom Paté with Truffles, the tartufata is milder and more rounded. The paté uses porcini mushrooms, bay leaves, and cloves and has a stronger forest flavor. Those looking for a pesto with cheese and cream will be better served by the White Truffle Cream from the same producer.
Usage
With 90 grams in the jar, you can be a bit more generous. For four portions of pasta, use three to four heaped tablespoons, mix them with a ladle of pasta water, and toss the pasta in the sauce. Tagliatelle, pappardelle, or gnocchi work best because the wide surface area captures the pesto well. For a pasta dish when guests are over, sauté a handful of extra mushrooms and add them to the finished pasta with some parsley.
On pizza, the tartufata is added only after baking: a tablespoon dolloped over mozzarella and arugula. For steak or lamb chops, place a spoonful on the hot meat; the heat will release the truffle aroma. It works the same way on grilled vegetables, especially eggplant and zucchini.
As a vegan spread, the tartufata stands on its own: thinly applied to toasted white bread, with a few drops of olive oil on top. Stir it into sauces at the end, such as a mushroom cream sauce, gravy, or risotto just before serving. Our recipe for truffle risotto shows just how much a single spoonful can do.
Storage: cool and dark. Once opened, store the jar in the refrigerator and use it up promptly. Smooth the surface after each use and cover it with a thin layer of olive oil to keep the tartufata fresh for longer.
Our tip: Knead 100 grams of soft butter with two tablespoons of tartufata and a little salt, roll the mixture in parchment paper, and place it in the refrigerator. A slice of this truffle butter on a hot steak or baked potato replaces any sauce. You can find more ideas in our truffle guide.
Origin
Vitelium is an Italian producer with an office in Hamburg. Vitelium GmbH is based in Hamburg, while cultivation and production are located in Provvidenti in the province of Campobasso, in the heart of Molise. This small region south of Abruzzo is famous for its truffles. The mountain climate and wild forests favor their growth, and the white truffle is a staple of the regional cuisine.
Vitelium is run by a married couple. Dr. Davide Petrollino, a plant biologist from Campobasso, conducted research at the University of Ferrara for ten years and is now responsible for cultivation and production. He inherited the olive grove with its centuries-old trees from his grandfather. Constanze Engelbrecht from Hamburg manages the GmbH and distribution in Germany. The name Vitelium is derived from the Oscan word "Viteliú," the origin of the word "Italia."
The summer truffles are gathered by Angelo, a friend of the couple from the neighboring village, using his own dogs. The olive oil comes from an early hand harvest, which begins in mid-October depending on the season. The olives are brought to the mill within six hours and centrifuged at under 27 degrees Celsius. Production of the truffle pesto begins in October with this harvest. The groves are neither fertilized nor sprayed with pesticides.
For whom
The 90 g jar is for households where tartufata is a regular fixture on the table. It is enough for two large pasta meals or a week of bruschetta, steak, and pizza. The jar is also designed for the pantry: unopened, it stays fresh in a cool, dark place until your next pasta night. If you want to try the pesto for the first time or give it as a gift, choose the truffle pesto in the 50 g jar.
It pairs well with the white truffle oil from the same producer, which you can use to add a final refined touch to pasta and risotto. You can find all truffle products and olive oils from Molise on the Vitelium page, and other varieties in our pesto category.
Note: The pesto is vegan but may contain traces of milk, gluten, celery, and tree nuts. It is not suitable for those expecting the aroma of fresh white truffle – for that, we recommend the White Truffle Cream or the truffle oil.
A tartufata made from button mushrooms and summer truffles in a large jar – for households that want to regularly enhance pasta, pizza, and steak with truffle.
