(Many thanks to DREAM for sponsoring today’s post!) While I am still recovering from all the delicious food I ate at the Everything Food Conference, I am never one to say no to comfort food. Especially when it involves truffle! Okay, maybe not REAL (fresh) truffles, as my bank account is still a little sore from all the recent traveling. But truffle oil surely does the trick! And, if your bank account is a little chubbier than mine, you could definitely use some shaved truffle in this dish for an even more luxurious version. Sigh… I hope one day I’m so rich that I’ll be able to add shaved truffle to everything. To pasta, risottos, potatoes, you name it… Gosh, I would even swim in a pool of white truffle! Just kidding… I would totally trade that for not having to fly coach class again. Are the planes getting tighter? Or is this whole owning a food blog thing making me huger by the day? But I digress… Let’s talk creamy truffle sauce!
Just reading the words “creamy truffle sauce” makes me all warm and fuzzy inside! In fact, it works so well that I should use that technique more often. As in: whenever I’m arguing with someone and getting all stressed, I’ll start whispering “creamy truffle sauce, creamy truffle sauce” under my breath, letting the fuzziness take the place of all the bad emotions. I think it is a mighty fine idea! And no, I do not care if people think I’m crazy. After all, it is all in the name of peace of mind! ?
Despite the name of this recipe, you won’t need any cream. Yep, you’ve heard it right! No heavy cream, table cream, whole milk, nada! I swapped it for almond milk for a lightened and nutty version of my regular bechamel sauce. I had never cooked a savory recipe with almond milk before and I gotta say I was utterly impressed with the results. I was afraid the milk would be too watery to work with since I wanted the sauce to be thick and velvety. I ended up having to adjust the amount of flour (thickening agent) because the almond milk was already pure creaminess on its own! Kudos to DREAM Ultimate Almond because their almond milk is ultra creamy and flavorful. Not watery and bland like some of the dairy free products out there! Even my husband, who drinks a gallon of whole milk in like 2 days, enjoyed it. Made with four times more California almonds in every cup, you can immediately see and taste the difference. The folks at DREAM were kind enough to send me a huge assortment, so I will be experimenting with almond milk a lot for the next couple of weeks! If you want to – you should! – give it a try, you can find this product at Whole Foods or Sprouts stores. And here’s a coupon for you! ?
I confess I’m one of those people that cringes at words like “dairy free”, “fat free” or “gluten free”. My response usually goes like this: “Hell no! Give me all the fat, gluten and dairy”. But a dish like this appears before me and proves that it can be just as (or more) delicious without those things. I guess a life with a food restriction is not as hard as I pictured. And this Ravioli in Creamy Truffle Sauce is one of those mind blowing experiences. So, even if you are a whole milk lover – like my dear husband – just give this a try. And be prepared to be amazed! Can’t get enough of almond milk? Try this Caesar Salad recipe from Honest Cooking!
