Some people often mistake vitello tonnato (veal with tuna sauce) for a typical French dish. But it's not like that at all. Vitello tonnato is actually a symbolic dish from the mountainous region of Piedmont in Italy - a dish that’s easy to make no matter the altitude.
The origins of vitello tonnato (veal with tuna sauce)
It was probably born in the Cuneo area in 1700, even if its paternity is claimed by the nearby Lombardy and Veneto. And despite the name, tuna had nothing to do with its preparation - at least not at first. In fact, the word ‘tonnè’ derives from the French term ‘tannè,’ which means 'tanned' - initially a reference to the leftover veal used in the recipe, which was boiled for hours to make it as tender as possible. (This recipe was originally a dish of Italian peasant tradition.) Only in later years did vitello tonnato become the dish we know and love today. In his book “La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene” published in 1891, Pellegrino Artusi described the dish as follows, starting from the "vitello di latte, nella coscia o nel culaccio" (“the thigh or rump of suckling veal”), which was seasoned with anchovies and then boiled "with two cloves, one bay leaf, celery, carrot and parsley." The meat was then cut into thin slices and marinated "in an infusion for a day or two" made from anchovies, tuna in oil, lemon, oil and capers.
Ingredients for the traditional recipe
Typically, Artusi’s recipe was considered a summer dish, since it was served cold. But it’s delicious any time of year (which you’ll know if you’ve tried it). To make it, you’ll need the following ingredients: 3 lb of veal, 11 oz of tuna in oil, 3 hard-boiled eggs, 6 anchovies in oil and one stalk of celery. You’ll also need white wine vinegar, dry white wine, bay leaves, sage, cloves, capers, pickled gherkins, lemon, salt and olive oil.
How to make vitello tonnato
Start by placing the veal in a bowl and cover with white wine. Then add the chopped celery, 2 bay leaves, 6 sage leaves and 3 whole cloves. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Then transfer the veal to a saucepan with its marinade. Add enough water to cover and salt to taste. Boil for about one hour. Then drain, setting aside two ladlefuls of cooking broth. Let the veal cool and transfer to the refrigerator to cool for one hour. In the meantime, blend the drained tuna with the egg yolks, a large spoonful of capers, some lemon juice, the anchovies, ½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil half and a spoonful of vinegar. Add the cooking water (previously set aside) and stir to combine. Slice the meat very thin and arrange them on serving plates. Cover with the tonnato sauce and complete with a few capers and gherkins to taste.