Salsa tartufata shares the lead roll in this burrata salad. Creamy mozzarella teams perfectly with the umami of the black summer truffle sauce. Asparagus and celery add freshness and crunch. All topped off with more tuber aestivum decadence, truffle carpaccio.

What's in this post

Greek truffles are a thing! Who knew?
What is salsa tartufata?
Truffle carpaccio, your secret ingredient
The beauty of burrata
Recipe tips and tricks
Plating guide
Why this recipe works
Printable Recipe
More Truffle Recipes

burrata on a bed of asparagus and celery, topped with truffle carpaccio, salsa tartufata dolloped around the outside on a white plate

Greek truffles are a thing! Who knew?

I have never associated truffles with Greece. France yes, Italy yes, and most certainly Australia. Greece slipped under my radar on the truffle side of things.

It makes sense, they are in the same region, have similar landscapes and climates. Well they may not be in the same region as Australia, but you get the idea.

jars of salsa tartufata, truffle carpaccio and a bottle of white truffle oil

I was introduced to some amazing truffle products by William Dachris from the Grecian Purveyor. The Grecian Purveyor is a relatively new business located in Sydney and they ship their products Australia wide.

As you may have guessed by their name, the Grecian Purveyor specialises in gourmet Greek produce. William is very passionate about the products he has sourced and it shows in his extensive and unique range.

grecian purveyor white truffle oil being poured on to a ceramic spoon

The truffle products he supplies are from a company called Forest Garden, located in the mountains of Chalkidiki, in Macedonia, Greece. William regards Forest Garden as the true truffle connoisseur of Greece.

Most of the products you will find at the Grecian Purveyor are EU Certified Organic. I was also thrilled to find out that they are ethically sourced too. Sourced from traditional food artisans, family-run businesses, and farmers' cooperatives. Supporting independent food producers by choosing them over large corporations.

What is salsa tartufata?

Salsa tartufata is a magical blend of black summer truffle, mushrooms and black olives. Ready to eat straight from the jar it can be used in all sorts of dishes.

Simply stir a couple of tablespoons through freshly cooked pasta, or the finishing touch to a grilled salmon or chicken. My favourite is to smear it on a slice or two of grilled baguette.

It is such a versatile ingredient to have stashed in your cupboard. It adds an truffle umami punch to everything it touches.

salsa tartufata being spooned out of a jar

Truffle carpaccio, your secret ingredient

Black truffle carpaccio is slices of pure truffle heaven in a jar. The slices are delicate and thin, full of flavour and perfect for that extra special garnish.

Even though I have used them as the crowning glory on my burrata salsa tartufata recipe, slices of truffle are fantastic to cook with. Placed under the skin of chicken, as with my chicken breast baked in milk, and poulet en demi deuil recipes, they add an incredible flavour punch to a dish. Plus they look a little special too.

a slice of truffle carpaccio being removed from a jar by styling tweezers

The beauty of burrata

Ah burrata, what a clever and magical cheese. From the outside it looks like a solid ball of mozzarella, but when broken into it spills its delicious creamy guts for all to devour.

It is a cheese made from cow milk (on the odd occasion buffalo). The outside is a shell of solid mozzarella. This shell is then stuffed with stracciatella (shreds of mozzarella) and cream.

Recipe tips and tricks

This really is a simple recipe, but there are a few tricks to getting it right. Because all the ingredients are on show, and you are using luxurious truffles, make sure to use fresh plump asparagus and fresh crisp celery.

This is not a dish to use up those forgotten about veggies at the bottom of your crisper

asparagus being snapped to remove the woody end

It is important to remove the woody ends from the asparagus. By grabbing an asparagus spear at either end and bending, the spear will naturally snap where the woody part of the spear starts/ends.

Alternatively, you can use a knife. Bend the spear and gauge where you think the woody part starts/ends and cut there.

string being removed from a stick of celery by a vegetable peeler

It is important to remove the stringy bits (collenchyma cells) from your celery. I find the neatest and easiest way to do this is with a vegetable peeler.

Simply run the peeler from one end of the celery stalk to the other. Don't forget to do the side edges of the stalk too.

diced asparagus and celery in a black bowl — asparagus and celery before blanching

blanched asparagus and celery in a black bowl — asparagus and celery after blanching

Cut your prepared asparagus and celery into small even dice sized pieces, around half a centimeter. I cut the asparagus on an angle to keep it visually interesting, but similar size to the celery.

Do not overcook the asparagus and celery, you do not want them to go soft. Make sure the stock is on a rolling boil before adding the vegetables. One minute may not seem long, but it is enough. We are simply blanching in stock.

Plating guide

This is a visual dish and plating is important for that wow factor. Take your time to plate up the dish.

a ring of blanched diced asparagus and celery on a white plate

It may seem strange at first to create a doughnut with the asparagus and celery, but there is good reason. By leaving a hole in the middle you can place the burrata knot side down. The ball of creamy goodness sits stably on top of the asparagus and celery.

burrata sitting on a bed of diced asparagus and celery

This allows you to hide the burrata knot out of sight. Yes, it does sort of look like a poached egg, I agree with you.

slices of truffle carpaccio being placed on top of a ball of burrata

Decorate the top of the burrata with truffle carpaccio. Just a few slices will do, it is easy to keep adding them on top, but less is more. Remember you are also using salsa tartufata in this recipe.

Finish plating the dish with generous dollops of salsa tartufata around the plate. Drizzle it all with some good quality olive oil and serve with grilled baugette.

Why this recipe works

At first it may seem a little strange to have a salad of asparagus and celery paired with a milky soft cheese and truffle. But all these ingredients are designed by nature to go together.

It is the funkiness, or strong sulphurous-sweet notes of cooked asparagus, that goes well with black truffle. Celeriac is often teamed up with black truffle, and it is due to this flavour teamwork that crisp celery works with this dish.

burrata on a bed of asparagus and celery, topped with truffle carpaccio, salsa tartufata dolloped around the outside on a white plate. grilled bread being used to eat it

The asparagus and celery not only a textural component but also bring freshness. Blanching in chicken stock (you can substitute vegetable) builds another subtle flavour dimension to the dish.

The burrata adds a creamy lusciousness and ties the vegetables to the salsa tartufata. When scooping a little of all the elements on to crunchy grilled baguette, you end up with an explosion of flavour and texture in your mouth.

I haven't had so much fun developing a recipe in a long time. What isn't to love about a green doughnut, creamy burrata and a little black truffle action? I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do.

Sara xxx

This recipe was developed in partnership with the Grecian Purveyor.

Printable Recipe

More Truffle Recipes

Easy Cheesy Asparagus Frittata - with a kiss from black truffle
Black Truffle Chicken Breast - baked in milk, tender and delicious
Baked Brie with Black Truffles - perfect for sharing, easy entertaining
Black Truffle and Parmesan Soufflés - light, fluffy and delightful
Luxury Sausage Roll Recipe - black truffle, pork and pâté
Poulet en Demi Deuil - chicken in mourning

Burrata Salsa Tartufata with Asparagus and Celery Salad