Salsa Tonnata Rapanello: A Culinary Exploration

The Salsa Tonnata Rapanello is a versatile dish, perfect as an appetizer, aperitivo, or buffet selection. This article explores its various forms, from simple crostini to more elaborate salads and main courses.

Crostini Ravanelli e Salsa Tonnata: A Quick and Flavorful Start

Crostini ravanelli e salsa tonnata are a simple and quick antipasto featuring the robust flavor of tuna, enhanced by the fresh, slightly spicy note of radish. These are best served immediately to maintain the crispness of the bread and are an excellent choice for an aperitivo or buffet, paired with a chilled, sparkling white wine.

To prepare, combine tuna, anchovy, mayonnaise, and a grind of pepper in a mixer. This recipe, attributed to Barbara Farinelli with photography by Giovanni Caprilli, highlights the ease and speed of creating a flavorful dish.

Vitello Tonnato: A Classic Reinvented

Vitello tonnato is a classic dish, suitable as a second course or an antipasto, especially for large lunches and dinners. It can be prepared in advance and is even portable for office lunches or picnics. While traditionally made with mayonnaise, some prefer a lighter version. One such recipe avoids mayonnaise, resulting in a more delicate and less cloying flavor.

The dish involves thinly sliced veal covered in a creamy tuna sauce. It can be stored in the refrigerator for two to three days.

Leggi anche: Varianti Salsa Senza Glutine

The Alba Tradition and Its Modern Interpretation

In Alba, at La Piola restaurant, chef Dennis Panzeri offers a unique take on vitello tonnato. The traditional Alba recipe originally didn't include tuna, instead relying on anchovies, capers, boiled egg, and the meat's cooking sauce for the sauce. However, Panzeri found this approach unsatisfactory for modern palates, as people now expect the sauce to be mayonnaise-based.

Panzeri also points out that the traditional method of using magatello (girello or lacerto), the leanest part of the veal leg, results in a dry dish. Fassona veal, being lean, exacerbates this issue. To combat this, La Piola cooks the magatello at 65°C to maintain moisture and relies on the sauce to add richness.

Their salsa tonnata is made with tuna in oil, anchovies, white wine, mayonnaise, and a generous amount of capers. Panzeri discovered that doubling the capers significantly enhanced the "tuna-ness" of the sauce, proving that sometimes the key to improving a dish lies in unexpected ingredients.

Insalata di Tonno: A Fresh and Customizable Salad

This tuna salad is a popular dish with many variations, but some core elements remain constant: tuna, olives, eggs, and potatoes, dressed with a vinaigrette.

Here’s a recipe for four people:

Leggi anche: Come Preparare il Filetto di Maiale con Salsa di Mele

Ingredients:

• 4 medium potatoes
• 150 g green beans
• 4 eggs
• 4 lettuce leaves per person
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 8 anchovies
• 120 g canned tuna

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon mustard or mayonnaise
• Salt to taste
• 4 tablespoons vinegar
• 12 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped capers
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion

Instructions:

1. Boil potatoes (peeled and sliced) in salted water with a tablespoon of vinegar. After 5 minutes, add the green beans. Cook for about 12 minutes total, until vegetables are tender but not overcooked. Let cool.
2. Cook eggs in the same water for 7-8 minutes. Cool in cold water for easy peeling.
3. Prepare the sauce: mix capers, chopped onion, mustard (or mayonnaise), and salt in a bowl. Gradually add olive oil, whisking to emulsify.
4. Assemble the salad: Arrange lettuce and sliced tomatoes as a base. Add potatoes, green beans, sauce, tuna, olives, and halved hard-boiled eggs. Garnish with caper flowers or croutons, if desired. Serve with toasted bread.

Burger di Tonno e Zucchine con Melanzane Marinate: An Innovative Main Course

This dish combines tuna and zucchini burgers with marinated eggplant, offering a unique and flavorful main course option.

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 1 small onion
• 1 medium-large zucchini
• 1 carrot
• Salt
• Oil
• Parsley
• Approximately 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 160g canned tuna

Ingredients for Marinated Eggplant:

• 1 large eggplant
• Oil
• Salt
• Chili pepper
• Basil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Instructions:

1. Prepare the burgers: Grate onion, zucchini, and carrot into a pan. Add oil and cook over medium heat until softened and translucent. Let cool.
2. Add egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and drained, chopped tuna. Gradually add breadcrumbs until the mixture can be shaped into patties.
3. Form patties, coat lightly in breadcrumbs, and cook in a hot pan with oil until golden brown.
4. Prepare the marinated eggplant: Slice eggplant thinly and cook in a pan with oil and salt, covered, until tender. Let cool slightly.
5. In a bowl, combine olive oil, minced garlic, chopped basil, chili pepper, vinegar, tomato paste, and a little water. Mix well.
6. Add eggplant to the marinade and toss. Serve the tuna burgers with the marinated eggplant as a side or sauce.

Melanzane Grigliate con Hummus: A Vegetarian Twist

For a vegetarian option, grilled eggplant slices can be topped with hummus, creating a Middle Eastern-inspired dish.

Instructions:

1. Grill eggplant slices on both sides.
2. Prepare hummus (or use store-bought). If too thick, thin with a little chickpea water or vegetable broth.
3. Arrange grilled eggplant on a plate and top with hummus.
4. Garnish with mint leaves, a drizzle of tahini, and a sprinkle of paprika.

Finto Vitello Tonnato: A Vegetarian "Vitello Tonnato"

This recipe offers a vegetarian take on the classic vitello tonnato, appealing to those who prefer plant-based options.

Vitello Tonnato: Mastering the Classic

To prepare vitello tonnato perfectly, choosing the right cut of meat is crucial. The girello, also known as magatello, is a lean and tender cut ideal for thin slicing. For a richer flavor and slightly softer texture, the cappello del prete can be used. Always choose fresh, high-quality meat.

Marinatura and Cooking the Meat

Marinating the meat enriches its flavor before cooking. Ideally, marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours, or overnight, in a mixture of dry white wine, celery, carrots, onions, bay leaves, and a few cloves. If short on time, even 2-3 hours of marinating will add flavor.

Leggi anche: Storia della Salsa Bernese

After marinating, cook the meat slowly and gently. Bring the strained marinade to a boil, add the meat, and simmer over low heat, covered, for about one hour per kilogram of meat. Aim for an internal temperature of 54-57°C for perfectly pink and tender meat.

Preparing the Salsa Tonnata

Combine drained tuna, egg yolks, anchovies, vinegar, and lemon juice in a mixer. Gradually add extra virgin olive oil while blending until you achieve a creamy, uniform sauce.

Instructions:

1. Marinate the meat: Tie the meat and refrigerate for 12 hours with wine, aromatics, and coarsely chopped vegetables in the cooking pot.
2. Cook the meat: Set the meat aside, strain the marinade into the pot, add the meat, cover with water, salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat, covered, for about 50 minutes (60 minutes per kilogram of meat).
3. Reserve two ladles of the cooking liquid.
4. Cool the meat: Allow the meat to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up.
5. Prepare the salsa tonnata: Combine drained tuna, egg yolks, anchovies, vinegar, and lemon juice in a mixer. Gradually add extra virgin olive oil while blending.

Serving and Storing

Slice the chilled meat thinly and arrange on a serving platter. Generously cover with salsa tonnata and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours before serving. Vitello tonato is ideal as an appetizer or a cold second course, served with fresh salads, potatoes, or crusty bread.

Vitello tonnato can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.

Vitello Tonnato: A Timeless Classic

Vitello tonnato originated in Piedmont and has become popular worldwide. This simple meat dish is perfect for many occasions. It was a popular dish at parties and elegant dinners in the 1980s.

tags: #salsa #tonnata #rapanello #ricetta