Sottocenere al tartufo is a very pale yellow to off-white cheese with truffles that has a grey-brown ash rind.^[1] It has a somewhat mild taste and is semi-soft in firmness.

Sottocenere (meaning "under ash") is originally from Venice, Italy, and is made with pasteurized cow's milk and slices of truffles, then rubbed with various herbs and spices.^[2] It is aged in an ash rind as a way to preserve it over a long period without losing flavor, a tradition in the Venetian region. The ash is also used to convey subtle flavors into the cheese, with a variety of spices (cinnamon and nutmeg, among others) mixed with the ash.^[3] The al tartufo refers to the addition of slivers of black truffle into the cheese, during the cheese making.