Tonnato Dip


Tonnato sauce is a delicious salty cold tuna sauce made to serve w/ Vitello Tonnato, (cold, thinly sliced veal).

I have made it with turkey breast and it is a delicious summer dinner.

I tried Melissa Clark's version of tuna dip from her new book.

The recipe read funny to me, it said use a 3 oz. can of tuna, most cans are 5 oz. size, and it seemed like a lot of other ingredients for just a little tiny can....so I took liberties and used two 5 oz. cans of Italian tuna in oil to make about a cup of dip.

This is delicious with hard boiled eggs, crudite, boiled potatoes or breadsticks. It is addictive.

Tuna Spread (loosely adapted from Dinner Changing the Game):

2 cans of tuna packed in oil (try and use good tuna from Spain or Italy), drained
1 tbsp capers
1 garlic clove
a few fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup of mayo (I use Hellmann's)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 anchovies
chopped kalamata olives

Pulse everything together (except the olives) in a food processor until a nice creamy consistency, almost mousse like.

Fold in the chopped olives with a silicone spatula and spread in a bowl.

Before serving, drizzle some more olive oil on top and season w/ black pepper and parsley or basil.


Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge.

Lick the bowl.

Comments

Stephanie said…
Thanks for this adaptation. I have this book too. You've inspired me to shop for some canned tuna at lunch so I can make this when I get home to have with dinner.
Bebe said…
We only use very good quality albacore that is packed in water. The cans are 7oz. It seems to me that that should be OK with all the other ingredients (olive oil, Hellman’s/Best Foods mayo, lemon juice). What do you think?
Amen Kahwajy said…
I used to make this a few times a year, mostly for dinner parties and set out with other apps. Mine was close to the original, little tuna. Once, I draped some whole anchovies on as a garnish. Not the best idea that night as a I overheard "ew! Anchovies!". Had some veal for the next day left, and learned a lesson...
Tucsonbabe said…
Spanish tuna, such as Ortiz,comes in 3.95 oz cans which are 2.89 oz drained weight. Perhaps this was the size referred to in Melissa's recipe.Either way, your recipe sounds wonderful.

Your divine La Tarte au Thon enjoys a permanent spot in our dinner rotation. Nothing can beat good tuna canned in olive oil.
Ciao Chow Linda said…
Way back in the 70s, I used to make a tuna dip that I'd forgotten about until I saw this post. This recipe, with the anchovies and capers, sounds so much better. I'm going to be making this for sure.