Undisputed celebrities of Italian cuisine, mushrooms and truffles are renowned for their richness in taste and texture. Hugo Chetcuti’s chefs love them because they pick up the flavours of any ingredients in a variety of recipes; vegetarians love them because they’re so high in protein (because of this, mushrooms are sometimes called the “meat” of the vegetable world).
We hope you’ll be inspired by the facts we’ve put together about this fabulous fungus!
Champignon mushrooms
This is one of the most widely-used mushroom in the world, and appears in both brown and white shades. When mature, it’s also called the Portobello mushroom. When immature and white, it’s known as the common white, button or the champignon.These mushrooms are great as a nutritional topping and flavour booster on pizzas; they’re a brilliant source of B vitamins and release a vast amount of food energy when consumed. They’re also greatly beneficial towards our immune system.
Porcini mushrooms
Because of its heaviness and strong, nutty flavour, porcini is a favourite in Italian cooking. They can stand up well to complex pasta dishes like risottos or tortellini, and can even be found on various pizza toppings.
Oyster mushrooms
The only things that these mushrooms have in common with oysters is their colour and texture; they’re grey, soft and flat. Because of their delicate and tender nature, they cook very quickly – the lighter the colour, the more subtle the taste becomes. They make for a sweet and highly versatile flavouring agent in pizzas and calzone.
Truffles
A famous French lawyer and gastronome once referred to truffles as ‘the very diamond of gastronomy’. No matter how simple or basic the ingredients, truffles can enhance whatever is on the plate by elevating aroma and flavour. So versatile are truffles that Hugo Chetcuti’s team have even created a delicious risotto based around them; the Black Forest Risotto is a bounty of mushrooms, truffles, cream and white wine seasoned with onions and parmesan shavings. Pasta is an ideal accompaniment to truffles as its relatively simple taste complements the piquancy of this rich fungi perfectly. Fatty foods also bring out the truffle’s flavour very effectively.
Hugo’s Pizza and Pasta (owned by none other than Hugo Chetcuti) is one of the leading restaurants in Malta when it comes to Italian cuisine. Our expert chefs and pizzaiolos use a variety of mushrooms, including champignon, porcini, oysters and truffles. There’s so mushroom here for you all at Hugo’s!
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