Not only are mushrooms and truffles two ingredients that are highly valued by connoisseurs of good food, they also provide two excellent reasons for welcoming autumn with enthusiasm. Rich in personality, the distinctive and delicious flavours of mushrooms and truffles create truly unique dishes, and they are simply sublime when paired with the right wines.
Have you already organised a dinner with family, or with friends, to welcome in the autumn season? Here’s everything you need to prepare a gourmet menu!
Autumn Menu
Starter
Grilled Mushrooms
Grilled mushrooms are an excellent way to begin a dinner dedicated to the flavours of autumn. Superb as a tantalising starter, they are irresistible on their own, but become incomparable when served with cured meats and blue cheeses. Looking for another way to serve them? Finely chop the mushrooms and combine them with fresh ricotta made from goat’s milk. The tanginess of the cheese and the spicy notes of the aromatic herbs blend together perfectly. Using this cream, you can garnish crostini to create a tempting appetiser.
Wine
The succulent flesh of the grilled mushrooms, flavoured with aromatic herbs and made even more intense by the olive oil in which they are preserved, requires delicacy. An aromatic white is likely to be the best choice, especially at the beginning of your menu. We recommend the elegant and expressive Grillo Sicilia DOC. Medium-bodied and with floral aromas, this wine will complement the sensational tastes and magic touch of the chef.
Tip
Serve the grilled mushrooms while they are still warm. They will be even tastier.
First Course
Truffle Tagliatelle
The smell of fresh pasta conjures up age-old traditions, bringing back fond memories of our grandmothers’ kitchens. Rough surfaces, the right consistency, and tasty dough are the key elements of Tagliatelle, and in this case, the dough itself is flavoured with truffles. Adding a knob of butter and a sprinkling of young Parmesan cheese is enough to transform a first course that is simple to prepare into an experience worthy of a top restaurant. And if you really want to tantalise the taste buds, mix in a spoonful of our La Tartufata sauce with the butter; sheer ecstasy, it is simply overwhelming!
Wine
The truffle knows no bounds; its characteristic aroma can easily overpower any other flavours that are used alongside it. And not only in relation to the food! When choosing to serve such a distinctive first course, it is better to opt for a structured red, capable of carving out a space for itself without being outcompeted by a neighbour that is as powerful as it is delicious. Go with the Barbera d’Asti DOCG, a characterful Piemonte red. Owing to its provenance (traditional Piedmont cuisine has used truffles for generations), this wine can accommodate the truffle’s exuberance, helping to mitigate its impetuousness while enhancing its character and idiosyncrasies.
Tip
A good Truffle Tagliatelle can’t possibly be served without topping off the steaming pasta with a generous helping of cheese. Go with Grana Padano or Parmesan, and the younger the better, as a long ageing process results in smoky tones and a particular blend of aromas that would literally risk a punch up with the truffles!
Second Course
Roast Shin
What makes the roast shin special, in addition to carefully selecting the meat and meticulously removing the excess fat, are the aromas that come from the long, slow cooking method. Chopped aromatic herbs and spices enhance the flavour of the meat, infusing it with a strong taste. A hearty second course, perfect for a meal dedicated to the flavours of autumn. Served with baked potatoes, or with sautéed vegetables, it is a dish you cannot resist.
Wine
For a hearty second course, what you need is a decisive red. We recommend Soleato Giordano, a label exclusive to our cellars. A blend that our wine makers have perfected harvest after harvest, it offers enthusiasts a wine that is at its best at 15°. Sumptuous, lively and forthright, it is the ideal companion for a course dedicated to those who love strong, traditional flavours.
Tip
To make the roast shin simply irresistible, after cooking it in boiling water, drain it and put it in the oven for about ten minutes. Select the grill function. The golden crust that forms will greatly enhance your enjoyment of the dish!
Dessert
Hazelnut Truffles
Imagine a gently-toasted hazelnut, crunchy and done to perfection. Now imagine a creamy cascade of chocolate, coating and colouring the hazelnuts, encasing them in a soft, irresistible shell, to be savoured with every bite. And now take a taste of delicious white and dark chocolate hazelnut truffles! This is a dessert that lends itself to a playful moment, when little guilty pleasures materialise before those with a sweet tooth, in tempting and delectable bites. Not your classic dessert, this is something much more tantalising!
Wine
We conclude with a rosé: the dessert label of Giordano Wine cellar for a great many years. A subtle game of conjuring up references to the most widespread Italian dessert wines, and cleverly brought together by our wine makers, a sip of Brunella Rosé is a gentle caress that tickles the palate and makes the dessert experience we have chosen even more enjoyable.
Tip
The white and dark chocolate hazelnut truffles can also be served for afternoon tea. Choose Pu’er Tea, grown in the Chinese province of Yunnan. Buttery, sweet and very aromatic, this tea is a sublime accompaniment for the white and dark chocolate hazelnut truffles, creating a memorable moment of relaxation within the warmth of your home.