Vitello tonnato (or vitel tonnè) is a traditional Piedmontese cold dish, loved for its refined and surprising combination of flavors. Prepared with thin slices of slow-cooked veal, it is served with a creamy sauce made with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, capers and mayonnaise, which enhances its delicacy.
Perfect as an appetizer or main course, vitello tonnato is ideal for summer lunches, buffets or special occasions. Discover the original recipe and tips for getting tender meat and a balanced-tasting sauce, just as tradition dictates.
Ingredients
Calf
800gr of veal (leg or shoulder) cut into thin slices
1. In a large pot, put the veal together with cleaned and cut onion, carrots and celery and add a few bay leaves. Cover with equal parts cold water and wine, add salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the veal is tender.
2. Remove the meat from the water and allow it to cool completely.
3. Prepare the tonnata sauce: in a blender, combine drained tuna and anchovies, well rinsed capers, hard-boiled eggs, and lemon juice.
4. Blend it all together, adding the Extra Virgin OliveOlive Oil in a drizzle until creamy. Adjust salt and pepper and set the sauce aside.
5. Cut the veal into thin slices and spread evenly on a serving plate. Generously season each slice of veal with the tonnata sauce. Cover the dish and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
6. Before serving, let the veal tonnato stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Serve garnished with capers and fresh parsley.
Preparation tips for a perfect veal tonnato
The recipe for making veal tonnato is not difficult, as long as you follow some small preparation tips:
Choose a lean part of veal, such as the thigh or shoulder (the meat should be tender and free of sinews).
Cook the veal over low heat to maintain its tenderness.
Add carrots, onion, celery and bay leaves while cooking to enrich the flavor of the meat.
Once ready, let the veal cool completely before cutting it into thin slices.
For the tonnata sauce, be sure to use quality tuna and anchovies inOlive Oil and well rinsed capers (to remove salt) and, of course, extra virgin Olive Olive Oil
Once the veal is dressed with the tonnata sauce, let it rest in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld.
Before serving, let the veal tonnato stand at room temperature for about half an hour so it can be enjoyed at its best.
Veal tonnato: the importance of extra virgin oliveOlive Oil
For our tuna sauce, we decided to use Extra Virgin Olive Olive Oil , which is ideal for making many sauces, for a variety of reasons:
Extra Virgin OliveOlive Oil gives extra flavor to the tuna sauce, enhancing the other ingredients without covering them up.
Olive Oil EVO added flush is a perfect binder and allows the sauce ingredients to blend perfectly.
Extra virgin OliveOlive Oil is a source of monounsaturated fats, which are healthy for the cardiovascular system and antioxidants that fight cellular aging.
Olive Oil EVO is light and does not weigh down the liver (as mayonnaise does, for example), and it helps make the tonnata sauce very digestible.
To prepare the vitello tonnato, we usedIl Casolare Rustic NaturaleExtra Virgin OliveOlive Oil , which has a slightly fruity aroma and a very balanced taste, ideal for raw uses that give the opportunity to fully appreciate its flavor.
