Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 600 g cooked turkey breast, thinly sliced
Tonnato Sauce
- 150 g canned tuna in olive oil, drained well
- 150 g mayonnaise
- 10 g anchovy fillets, drained
- 15 g capers, rinsed and drained
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 30 ml turkey or chicken broth
Garnish
- 10 g capers, rinsed and drained
- 5 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 4 lemon wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the drained tuna, mayonnaise, anchovy fillets, 15g of capers, and lemon juice.
Blend the mixture on high speed until completely smooth and velvety. If the sauce appears too thick, slowly stream in the broth 15ml at a time while blending until it reaches a pourable consistency resembling heavy cream.
Arrange the cold, thinly sliced turkey breast evenly across a large serving platter, overlapping the slices slightly.
Spoon the tonnato sauce generously over the sliced turkey. Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to spread the sauce so it covers the meat almost completely, leaving just the edges of the turkey visible.
Cover the platter tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This resting period allows the flavors of the umami-rich sauce to penetrate and season the cold turkey.
Just before serving, remove the platter from the refrigerator. Garnish with the remaining whole capers, finely chopped fresh parsley, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Chef's Notes
- While traditionally made with poached veal, turkey breast offers an excellent lean canvas that absorbs the robust flavors of the tonnato sauce perfectly.
- Do not skip the chilling phase. Tonnato relies on the marination period in the refrigerator for the acidic, briny sauce to deeply flavor the neutral protein.
- Tuna packed in olive oil is crucial here rather than water-packed tuna. The oil contributes to the emulsion and mouthfeel, preventing the sauce from becoming watery or grainy.
- For the cleanest slices, ensure your leftover turkey is refrigerator-cold before attempting to slice it. A sharp carving knife will yield the thin, delicate pieces required for this dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store sauce and turkey in separate airtight containers if possible to maintain best texture.
