Tonno alla Carlofortina
Tonno alla Carlofortina
Tuna in Tomato Sauce
Have you ever visited a place that’s really famous for one food and felt excited about that, but also pretty sure that by the end of your stay, you’ll be ready for a change of pace in the food department? That’s what my mom and I expected when we visited the village of Carloforte on the Isola di San Pietro, a small island off the southwest coast of Sardinia. The place has been famous for catching, canning, and cooking tuna for centuries, and its tuna industry is one of its defining features (see page 122). But we ate tuna for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and never suffered a moment of tuna exhaustion. This is one of Carloforte’s tuna specialties (the recipe’s name kind of gives that away!)
Ingredients (9)
Ingredients (9)
Instructions
Season the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
When the oil begins to shimmer, add the tuna and sear just until opaque, 30 to 45 seconds on each side, depending how thick the steaks are.
Remove from the heat. Transfer the tuna to a plate and wipe the skillet clean.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same large skillet over low heat.
When the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and cook just until it takes color, about 3 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium, then add the bay leaves and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Add the tuna, then the wine, and cook until the alcohol aroma dissipates, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, then cook until the tuna is firm and the sauce has reduced, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the vinegar and remove from the heat.
Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Plate the tuna steaks, spoon the tomato sauce over the top, and serve.
This recipe is part of the Food of the Italian Islands digital cookbook, and is only available once you've purchased the cookbook.
Purchase ($25.00)
