It may not be pretty to look at but vitello tonnato is one of the world’s greatest delicacies and it hails from the same region where Amistà grows its organically farmed grapes for the production of Amistà Nizza, Amistà Nizza Riserva, and Amistà Vermouth di Torino.
The earliest printed recipe for vitello tonnato dates back to Pellegrino Artusi’s 19th-century Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well. But the history of this dish is believed to stretch back even further. This is because the main ingredients — veal, tuna, and anchovies — are all staples of Piedmontese cuisine.
While Piedmont’s legendary pasture-raised beef is well known throughout the world, few realize that the region’s proximity to the sea ensured that olive oil-packed tuna and salt-cured anchovies would become sine qua non ingredients in Piedmontese cookery. It is believed that during winter months, merchants would travel to and from Liguria to obtain these foodstuffs.
It was inevitable that someday they would collide with Piedmont’s heirloom beef.
Vitello tonnato is made by larding and roasting or boiling veal until it achieves a light pink color. After it is cooled, it is thinly sliced and the topped (or served alongside) a sauce made of olive oil-packed tuna, salt-cured anchovies, and salt-cured capers.
Many foreigners are surprised by this unusual and unique combination of ingredients and flavors. But all it takes is one bite — and one glass of Amistà — to win them over!