Vitello tonnato is sliced cold poached veal under a creamy tuna, caper and anchovy sauce. A Piedmontese summer classic from the late 18th century.

The name tonnato comes from the French tannè (tanned), referencing leftover veal slow-cooked for tenderness. The original 18th-century sauce had no tuna, only anchovy, capers and egg yolks. Pellegrino Artusi added tuna in his 1891 cookbook, which standardised the modern version. Today the dish is canonical Piedmont, in summer with a glass of cool Roero Arneis or Gavi.

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Make it at home

Serves 65 hrIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 kg veal eye of round or rump, trimmed
  • 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 celery stick, 2 bay leaves, 4 cloves
  • 250 ml dry white wine
  • Sea salt, peppercorns
  • 200g tuna in olive oil, drained
  • 4 anchovy fillets
  • 2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed
  • 2 hard-boiled egg yolks
  • 200 ml good-quality mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method

  1. Tie the veal with kitchen string. Cover with cold water in a pot; add carrot, onion, celery, bay leaves, cloves, wine, salt and peppercorns.
  2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 1 hour 30 minutes; turn off heat and let the veal cool in the broth (about 2 hours).
  3. For the sauce, blend tuna, anchovies, capers, hard-boiled yolks and lemon juice until smooth; fold in mayonnaise.
  4. Slice the cold veal as thinly as possible. Arrange on a platter, spoon sauce over to cover, garnish with extra capers.
  5. Rest in the fridge at least 1 hour before serving; the sauce should soften the meat.

Editor tip. The dish improves overnight; make it the day before serving and slice thin against the grain.

Common allergens: Fish, Egg.