Ingredients :

• The truffle (fresh, summer, or oil) — Let’s be honest: fresh truffle in peak season is spectacular, but it’s also overpriced. Black summer truffle (melanosporum or aestivum) is a serious alternative for everyday use. And truffle oil — if it’s good — does the job very well. Two tablespoons are enough, and you add it off the heat to preserve the aroma. Avoid low-end supermarket oils: they smell like plastic, not the forest.
• Tagliatelle (or fettuccine) — Long, wide pasta is there for a reason: it holds the creamy sauce in its folds. Spaghetti slides off too quickly. Rigatoni breaks the texture/sauce marriage. If you can find fresh egg tagliatelle in the refrigerated aisle, go for it — they have a softer bite and absorb better.
• Heavy cream (30% fat minimum) — Don’t use light cream. Really. It separates in the heat, becomes grainy, and ruins the texture. 30% fat is the threshold below which it won’t hold. The brand doesn’t matter much — what counts is the fat content.
• Parmesan (and only the real deal) — Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, freshly grated. Not the bag of dry powder. Freshly grated cheese melts into the sauce silkily; industrial cheese forms lumps. If you don’t have parmesan, Pecorino Romano works — stronger flavor, slightly salty, excellent.