Pasta meets spring – when two luxury products meet
When you think of wine with food and pasta with truffle butter, you instinctively think of Burgundy – and you’re not wrong. But this post takes a detour via the South Tyrolean Alps, which is well worth it. White asparagus and black truffle butter are a pair of contrasts: the asparagus fresh, light, slightly bitter; the truffle butter dark, earthy, almost meaty in its depth of flavor. The tagliatelle combines the two as a neutral, silky-creamy base on which the aromatic interplay can unfold. Hardly any other recipe in the spring kitchen demonstrates so impressively what happens when two seasonal products are brought together in a small space: they enhance each other instead of competing. The white asparagus adds freshness, the truffle butter adds depth – and the pasta holds everything together. This dish requires a white wine with body, creaminess and a fine woody note to go with the truffle butter.
Ideal wine accompaniment: Chardonnay DOC Alto Adige (South Tyrol, Italy)
From the high altitudes between Bolzano and Merano, where limestone and porphyry soils and the cool Alpine nights give the Chardonnay a freshness that can hardly be achieved in flatter locations, a white wine of impressive dual nature is created: Alpine-fresh and Mediterranean-warm at the same time. Subtle wood barrel notes – vanilla, toast, a hint of butterscotch – build a direct aromatic bridge to the truffle butter without duplicating or overwhelming it. Aromas of ripe pear, peach, citrus zest and hazelnut complete the picture. On the palate, it has a creamy texture that flatters the pasta and an acidity that ensures freshness despite all the richness and keeps the asparagus in balance. The finish is long, slightly nutty and characterized by an alpine minerality. A Chardonnay that shows that South Tyrol is a world-class player.
Further wine recommendations for this dish
Chardonnay AOC Meursault (Burgundy, France)
The original truffle-Chardonnay liaison: Meursault on the premier Lieux-dits brings butter, hazelnut, white peach and a creamy texture that goes perfectly with the truffle butter. More opulence than the South Tyrolean, less alpine freshness – for all those who want to travel to Burgundy for a pasta and truffle evening. A wine that lifts the dish into another league.
Pinot Gris Spätlese dry QbA (Baden, Germany)
The nuttiness and creaminess of the Baden Pinot Gris communicates directly with the truffle butter and Parmesan that finishes the pasta. Its full body carries the sauce effortlessly, and its acidity prevents the dish from being too heavy despite the butter and pasta. A reliable domestic companion for a dish with international luxury ambitions.
Pinot Blanc Spätlese dry QbA (Palatinate, Germany)
Slimmer and more elegant than Pinot Gris, but with the same suppleness: the Palatinate Pinot Blanc gently carries the dish with its peach and pear fruit without overpowering the truffle aromas. For all those who prefer elegance rather than power in the glass for a truffle and asparagus pasta evening.
Lugana DOC (Lake Garda, Italy)
The depth and creaminess of the Turbiana grape on clay soils makes Lugana a natural accompaniment to pasta. Its aromas of almond, white peach and a fine salty minerality carry the dish in a calm, reliable way. Not a loud wine, but one with substance – for evenings when the food should take center stage.
Viognier IGP Ardèche (Rhône Valley, France)
The exotic peach and apricot fruit of the Viognier enters into a surprisingly harmonious dialog with the truffle butter – both have something opulent, sumptuous, almost perfumed about them. Served cool (12 °C), it unfolds its aromas without being overpowering. For all those who like to choose a wine for a truffle and pasta evening that provides something to talk about.
You can find more recipes and wine recommendations for the asparagus season on the asparagus and wine overview page.
The recipe:
Asparagus tagliatelle with white asparagus and truffle butter
Cooking utensils
- 1 Large pot (for pasta and asparagus)
- 1 Wide frying pan or sauté pan
- 1 Economy peeler
- 1 Pasta tongs
- 1 Käsereibe
Ingredients
- 800 g white asparagus
- 250 g fresh tagliatelle or 200 g dried
- 60 g black truffle butter
- 30 g Cold butter
- 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano Freshly grated
- 2 Shallots finely diced
- 100 ml dry white wine
- Salt white pepper
- 1 tsp sugar for the asparagus water
- Fresh parsley leaves to garnish
Preparation
PREPARATION:
- Peel the asparagus and cut off the woody ends.
- Cut the asparagus spears into diagonal pieces (approx. 3 cm), leaving the heads whole.
- Finely dice the shallots.
- Add the pasta cooking water and salt generously.
COOKING STEPS:
- Cook the asparagus pieces in boiling salted water with a pinch of sugar for 6-8 minutes until al dente.
- Drain the asparagus and keep the cooking water.
- Cook the tagliatelle in the asparagus water according to the packet instructions until al dente.
- Parallel: Sauté the shallots in a tablespoon of butter until translucent.
- Deglaze with white wine and reduce by half.
- Stir in the truffle butter and cold butter, melt over a low heat.
- Add the asparagus to the sauce and heat briefly.
- Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of the cooking water.
- Add the tagliatelle to the sauce in the pan and mix well.
- If necessary, add a little cooking water until the sauce is silky and creamy.
- Stir in the parmesan, season to taste.
DIRECTIONS:
- Use tongs to twist the pasta into deep, preheated plates.
- Loosely drape the asparagus pieces and heads.
- Garnish with Parmesan shavings and fresh parsley leaves.
- Add a touch of truffle butter directly onto the pasta as a finish.
SUPPLEMENTS:
- Parmesan shavings as an additional garnish
- Crispy ciabatta with olive oil
- Small leaf salad with lemon dressing
