Today I am going to teach you how to make this delicious Vitel Toné, Vitello Tonnato or Thoné, with the Peceto or Rolled Veal and Tuna Sauce with Anchovies.
Vitel Tone is quite quick and easy to prepare, it is a typical recipe in Argentina for the Christmas Holidays, and it does not disappoint at any time. It is served cold, mainly as a starter dish.
Recipe for 10 Servings
Preparation time: 1h
Difficulty: Easy
Cost per Serving: € 2.17
Pairing: Dry White Wine
Piedmont
What a region! As I had already mentioned, I came to Europe more than 7 years ago. I first arrived to the Piedmont region of northern Italy, about 50 km from Turin, in a small town called Fossano, in the province of Cuneo.
My mother has been living in the region for about 15 years now! Who’d ever thought she’d ever end up living there.
Be it one way or another, I have always felt very connected to Italy, since my Dad’s family is from there. At home the Italian culture was always followed a bit, especially in terms of food, and everything that revolves around the kitchen.
This recipe for vitel toné (which is how it is called in the Piedmontese / Piemontese dialect) or vitello tonnato, although it is a traditional dish in the region, I did not learn it there, but much earlier. Since in Argentina it is also a Traditional dish to enjoy during the holidays, like Christmas, New Years, and every day in between as leftovers = p. It is perfect for this time of year since it is very hot there. Although I think that we should not limit ourselves to only eating it twice a year, with how delicious it is! Also as it is easy and fast to make.
For this recipe, I like to make variations. I have been changing the recipe for years, and I mainly do it in the oven so that it gets toasted, passing the meat through the pan previously. Is that the original recipe for vitel tonne, they put the meat, pesceto (peceto) or rolled veal as it is called here in Spain, it is put to boil for a couple of hours and then it is cut into slices, with the sauce for above.
I always thought about it, what a boring way to enjoy the meat. (In Argentina it is very common to eat stew (Puchero), which is basically like having all the ingredients for the barbecue (Asado), but instead of cooking everything on the grill, do it boiled !!! What a waste!)
The recipe
For this Vitel Thoné recipe, I asked the woman at the butcher shop to fillet the meat for me beforehand, so that I could directly brown the meat back and forth on the oven tray with a little Olive Oil, and then add wine and bay leaf to cook it only for half an hour at medium temperature.
On the other hand, always as it was eaten at my house, in the platter with the Pesceto, the sauce covers it completely. Then what is left over, to eat with the bread or put together with something else!
Let’s say it’s a potent dish itself, so while we’re at it, let’s get it right.
It is not economical in itself, although it yields for many people to try. But the main thing is the sauce, so the meat can be changed for another. You can even make Vitel Tone of Chicken, or substitute it for some vegetables. You can even make an entirely vegetarian or vegan Vitello tonnato, although the truth is that I have not tried it yet.
For me, it is important that the meat is rich, obviously, but the star of this dish is undoubtedly the sauce, to which I think that, you can add it to whatever dish you wish it will be wonderful. A bit like what happens with Hollandaise Sauce for Eggs Benedict, or the Bagna Cauda sauce.
Ingredients Vitel Toné
For the Meat
Round of Veal ⇒ 1 Kg
Extra Virgin Olive Oil ⇒ 60 ml (4 tablespoons)
White Wine ⇒ 300 ml (1.5 Glass)
Salt ⇒ 10 gr (0.5 Tablespoon)
Pepper ⇒ 10 gr (0.5 Tablespoon)
Bay Leaves ⇒ 5
For the Sauce
Natural tuna ⇒ 150 gr (3 Cans)
Egg ⇒ 2 Yolks
Mayonnaise ⇒ 200 gr
Anchovy fillets ⇒ 25 gr (8 small fillets)
Mustard ⇒ 50 gr (2 tablespoons)
Lemon Juice ⇒ 50 ml (3 Tablespoons)
Capers ⇒ 20
Parsley ⇒ 10 gr
Decoration
Capers ⇒ 20
Egg ⇒ 2 Whites
Process
Peceto / Veal Round
1) Season the meat and let it rest
2) Heat the oven to 150º, place Extra Virgin Olive Oil on a tray, and place the meat
3) Cook the meat for 5 minutes, remove and turn to each side the fillet
4) Add White Wine and Laurel, and cook for 30 minutes in the oven at 150º
5) Remove and let cool
Sauce
6) Boil two eggs, separate the Yolks and place them in a container, along with the Mayonnaise, the Mustard and a little Pepper
7) Start blending with a hand blender or glass blender, add the rest of the ingredients little by little while you continue mixing
8) If necessary for the desired texture, add a part of the remaining broth of the meat already cooked
Mounting
9) Place the meat on a presentation tray, and a layer of sauce, repeat with the remaining meat and cover with the excess sauce
10) Grate on top, the two reserved whites of the boiled eggs, and decorate on top with the Capers
Video on Youtube
In case you prefer to see the recipe on video, Vitel Toné | Vitello TONNATO Quick and easy recipe, here it is.
Step by Step Vitel Toné
For the meat, you will need Salt and Pepper to taste, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, White Wine and Laurel
Peceto / Round Veal
1) Start seasoning the Meat with Salt and Pepper to taste, as long as you do it on one side it is fine. Heat the oven to 150º
2) In a preheated baking tray, place the olive oil and the meat, cook it for 5 minutes at 150º
3) Turn the meat on the other side, add the White Wine and Laurel, and cook it for 25 ′ in the oven at 150º. Then remove it and let it cool inside the same plate.
Vitel Toné / Thoné Sauce
1) Choose a container with a wide mouth to make the sauce with a hand mixer, or directly in the glass mixer
2) Start the Sauce with the Mayonnaise, the Mustard, the Hard-boiled Egg Yolks and a pinch of pepper
3) Beat it well incorporating the ingredients, assembling it like a Homemade Mayonnaise, so that it has more texture
4) Add at this point, the Natural Tuna, the Anchovy Fillets, and the Lemon Juice. Keep mixing
5) Finally, Finish the Thoné Sauce, with a touch of Parsley. Grind it well
6) Control the texture, if necessary, add a little of the leftover broth where the Meat was cooked. It has to be very creamy, to be able to spread it throughout the Tray, but not very liquid.
Assemble the Vitel Tone
1) Place half of the Meat on the Presentation Tray, and cover it with a layer of the Tuna and Anchovy Sauce
2) Complete the preparation with the Rest of the Meat and the Sauce, spreading it well throughout the Tray with the help of a spoon
3) Grate the remaining hard-boiled egg whites, as a decoration
4) To finish, place some Capers to taste on top. Then cover well and cool in the fridge
Detailed Breakdown Cost- Vitel Toné | Vitello TONNATO
Conclusion
Vitello Tonnato, means Veal in Tuna Sauce, so, as I said, as for Veal, any other cut of meat can work, or even some vegetables. The most interesting thing is the Tuna Sauce, which is also to taste, and everyone does it in their own way.
A classic is a classic, and it must be respected. But there are several classics that, in order to reach a certain status, have gone through a long process of changes, and although in a less perceptible way, those changes continue to occur even today.
Do you dare to do them? Leave me in the comments your opinion and what you think if you have tried it!
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