Sformato is a soufflé dish, made from various ingredients – vegetables, cheese, bread crumbs – held together with a béchamel or egg.
One of Italy’s most renowned culinary indulgences is the truffle. Found throughout northern and central Italy, we enjoy them on many destinations on our Italiaoutdoors cycling tours, from the Veneto and Piedmonte to Umbria and Tuscany. Hidden away in forests, buried at the foot of oak trees, truffles are difficult to find, requiring the use of a trained pig or dog with the olfactory capabilities to smell the tuber that we humans lack. But it is precisely this intense, earthy, ripe flavor that makes it such a sought after specialty for chefs and gourmets.
Black truffles are more widespread than white, found in the Veneto region, as well as Tuscany and Umbria. There are different types of black truffle, from the Tuber melanosporum, known as the Perigord black truffle in France, but which is known in Italy as the Tartufo di Spoleto or Tartufo di Norcia. The other main edible black truffles are the black summer truffle also known as the scorzone (Tuber aestivum) and its relative the uncinato (Tuber uncinatum). 
Truffles are customarily served as the elegant ingredient in a pretty simple dish, allowing the wonderful aroma and deep, dense flavor to shine – competing flavors in this dish would be overly complicated and detract from this culinary gem. They are often served over a simple fresh pasta, or accompanied by an egg, or cheese.
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Sformatino di Ricotta with Black Truffle Sauce
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Creamy ricotta cups get a luxurious boost from earthy truffle sauce. A perfect elegant appetizer or starter.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp salsa tartufo (truffle sauce)
- Substitute sautéed mushrooms and truffle oil
- 227 g (8 oz) ricotta
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 egg whites
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Mix together ricotta, parmesan, and beaten egg whites. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place a tablespoon of truffle sauce or mushroom mixture in the bottom of 4 individual aluminum molds.
- Divide the ricotta mixture among the 4 molds.
- Cook in a bain-marie (water bath) in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
- Invert molds onto serving plates.
- Garnish with additional truffle sauce, grated parmesan, grated truffle, and/or truffle oil.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use whole milk ricotta.
- If you don’t have aluminum molds, use ramekins instead.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated gently in the microwave or oven.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Oven-Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ramekin
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 12
- Cholesterol: 80
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of cheese should I use for the Sformatino di Ricotta?
You should use fresh ricotta cheese, as it provides the right texture and flavor for this dish.
How do I properly prepare the black truffle sauce?
To prepare the black truffle sauce, finely slice the black truffle and sauté it gently in butter to release its aroma, then combine it with cream for a rich consistency.
Can I substitute the béchamel sauce in this recipe?
While béchamel is traditional, you can substitute it with a thick cream or a similar white sauce, but it may alter the final texture of the sformato.
