porcini

Boletus edulis, one of Italy's favourite wild mushrooms, porcini literally means 'little pigs'. It is the same species as French cèpes de Bordeaux—though the Italian ones are smaller, tastier and not as slimy.

Fortunately it's also one of the most common funghi in the woods. There's a similar porcino rosso (boletus pinophilus) that’s excellent. The porcino estivo or ceppatello is a related summer species, boletus estivalus.

Dozens of villages hold a Sagro del Fungo Porcino in September: Oriolo Romano, Lariano, Cortona, Motta Visconti, Rocca Priora,