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Tonno sott'olio
Tuna preserved in oil
Tonno sott'olio: Sicily and Calabria's home-preserved tuna poached in brine and kept in olive oil
In the tonnare, the old tuna fisheries of Sicily and Calabria around Favignana and Pizzo, fresh bluefin tuna was boiled in sea water and packed in olive oil to keep for months. At home, Italian families still do it with a piece of fresh tuna: poached gently in salted water with bay and lemon, dried and covered in good oil. It tastes far better than tinned tuna and is perfect for salads and pasta. Chef's tip: poach the tuna at a bare simmer and let it cool in the water; boiling makes it dry and stringy.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb fresh tuna loinin thick pieces
- 8 ¼ cups water
- 2 ⅛ oz coarse salt
- 1 lemonsliced
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oilto cover
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Bring 8 ¼ cups water, 2 ⅛ oz coarse salt, 3 bay leaves, 1 lemon and 1 tsp black peppercorns to the boil, then turn down to a bare simmer.
Step 2: Add 2 ¼ lb fresh tuna loin and poach gently for 45–60 minutes, depending on thickness, until cooked through, firm and opaque all the way to the centre. Common mistake: boiling; the fish turns dry and grainy.
60 minStep 3: Leave the tuna to cool in the water, then lift it out and drain it on a rack for 2 hours, until dry.
Step 4: Break into large flakes or chunks and pack into clean sterilised jars with the bay leaves. Cover with 2 cups extra virgin olive oil by 1 cm.
Step 5: Close and keep in the fridge. Leave for 2 days before eating and eat within 1 week.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tonno sott'olio take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
- What can I use instead of lemon?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
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