Deliciously creamy Italian pasta studded with mushrooms and flecks of truffles, but it's vegan. Is this even possible? 

At Melbourne’s Funghi e Tartufo it is. The exclusively plant based restaurant serves up pappardelle so good we made it our must-try dish of the week.

Is that the full name?

It’s “Pappardelle Funghi e Tartufo” on the menu.

Where do you get it?

Funghi e Tartufo, 60 Hardware Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

Why is it a winner?

If you thought you needed cheese, eggs and, to a lesser extent, cream to do Italian food right you wouldn’t be the only one. But the pappardelle here are silky, smooth and have just the right amount of bite. The sauce is magically creamy and while we don’t know how chef-owner Alessandra D’Angelo does it, that only adds to the mystique. Add mushrooms and a hint of truffle for serious umami heft and you’re left with a pasta dish that will have you saying I can’t believe it’s not made with animal products. Buon appetito indeed!

What does the chef say?

 

Love is the basis of all my dishes. Love for cooking, love for Italian traditions, love for the family. As many know almost 10 years ago, I started making meatless dishes for my children, who are both vegetarians. Behind my top secret vegan cream is love for my sister Laura, a vegetarian who is also lactose intolerant. The pappardelle with mushrooms and truffles is an homage to Italian cuisine as it uses fresh pasta and contains the classic Italian ingredient of truffles. Love is the basis of my commitment to cooking and to my restaurant. And the greatest reward is when my guests say they love the dish!
Alessandra D'Angelo, chef-owner of Funghi e Tartufo

Anything else to know?

Funghi e Tartufo, which means mushrooms and truffle, doesn’t just cater to the plant based crowd, the team here also aim to make life delicious for those who need to avoid gluten or follow a low fodmap diet. If you, or someone you know, falls into that category you will know just how hard it is to find restaurants that cater to these needs, so let’s celebrate the existence of a great Italian restaurant that does this really well!

Want more Must-try dishes? Check out one of the prettiest breakfasts you’ve ever seen or the most delicious Lebanese soul food.

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