Italian Tuna

Italian tuna and American tuna are so different they hardly seem to derive from the same fish. American canned tuna tends to be both mushy and dry simultaneously. It’s fine for making tuna salad, but if you haven’t tried Italian tuna, you’re about to discover what tuna should taste like.

In the Mediterranean, tuna migrate along consistent routes to their breeding grounds in spring and early summer. Long rectangular nets are set up, divided into “rooms.” As the tuna enter the net, they follow one another until they get to the final room, which is then closed to capture them. This famed Mediterranean tuna has the characteristic pink color.

Italian cooking uses tuna in a variety of ways. Vitello tonnato, for instance, coats thin slices of tender veal with a sauce made from finely processed tuna, hard-boiled eggs, anchovies and capers, and is served cold. It does seem, however, that the best use of such flavorful tuna meat is as part of an antipasto plate with some white beans to set off the richness.

At Gourmet Pantry, we are proud to carry Callipo tuna. One of the most famous brands, Callipo has been canning tuna in Calabria for 90 years. They use yellowfin tuna, with meat that is especially flavorful. The color is light pink, and it is much moister than white tuna. Whole fillets are packed in olive oil or sea water. Tuna packed in oil and aged to let the flavors meld is much more savory than tuna in water, so splurge on the calories and skip dessert!

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