Pettina
We left the house early Tuesday morning and drove east through Spoleto deep into the Apennines for a truffle hunting expedition in isolated Pettino, population about 26. “Truffle hunting” hardly does it justice. It was more like being taken in by an Italian mountain farm family for the day. (“Agritourism" is huge in Italy). This family raises sheep for milk and meat, a few cows, and pigs, most of which are for their own consumption and for the making of cured meats.
We rode up the hill with Mack, cousins Alessandro and Luca and two teams of setters that would do the sniffing and digging. They turned the dogs loose, and we trailed behind, watching the dogs work.
They use setters for hunting. The larger Maremmas protect the sheep from wolves.
Umbria is known for its truffles, especially black truffles, and during the season, these folk spend 4-6 hours in the morning and another 4-6 in the evening hunting. They disabused us of some common misconceptions we held about truffles. In fact they are not rare. They grow everywhere, and though there is a high season, on private property you can hunt them any time. We were probably walking no more than 45 minutes, and the dogs found a dozen...some 300 grams or so.
Watching intently while Luca prepares a cheese board.
Luca, Mac, Dan, and Alessandro figuring something out.
On the way back down to the farm, we stopped in the meadow with Mack’s cousin Dan, now shepherd for the family flock. Along with 80 or so merino sheep, Dan was kept company by a half-dozen large white Maremmas that keep the wolves away, a border collie that does what border collies do, and a young hound, I guess just for the company. The family keeps a total of 30 dogs, all workers except for the single oldest of the wolf dogs who has been granted a reprieve and snoozes around the farm with the Uncle, the family elder. Uncle is also kept company by Martina, a Vietnamese pot bellied pig of uncertain provenance.
Picnic.
Luca cut up a wheel of pecorino cheese that Francesca had made. and scrambled a pan of eggs, dressed them with olive oil, and topped them with grated black truffle from the morning’s take. Not a bad morning snack.
Uncle and pig. Zio e porco.
From there we returned to the farm area for lunch, which started in the 900-year old underground curing room where their own salami, hams, and all manner of cured meats were hanging.
Umbrian prosciutto has a hint of garlic flavor. 7 days in salt - no more.
Goodness.
Salume.
Francesca makes pecorino cheese in a 900 year old room.
Simplicity.
Francesca made tortellini, cut by hand, which we had for lunch with truffle pesto, followed by sausage, wild boar ragout, and roasted potatoes.
Rolled out.
Rolled thin.
The finished product.
We said our goodbyes and drove back to Lugnano for a dinner of antipasti, and then home for a sound sleep.
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