Vitelli's Tuna Sauce #1 [RECIPE]

We had several tuna sauces, but this was our absolute favorite. We adapted it from a recipe we found many years ago in an Italian cookbook. The biggest change we made was adding the olives. It is a cold sauce, used at room temperature, and is a nice change of pace.


Ingredients

2 cans (6 oz. each) tuna

3-4 Tbs finely minced fresh garlic

4 Tbs chopped parsley (preferably fresh)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

6 Tbs butter or margarine, softened

1 cup (8 oz.) heavy cream

3-4 Tbs milk

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated cheese (parmesan, romano, or mixture)

½ cup roughly chopped green olives

1 16 oz. package of your favorite pasta


Preparation

Make sure the eggs are room temperature. In a cup or glass, whisk them or beat them with a fork and set aside.

Put the (drained) tuna into a large bowl, and add the butter or margarine. Mash everything together. Add the eggs, parsley, garlic and several grindings of fresh black pepper. Blend ingredients thoroughly. Add the cream and milk and mix well. Then, add the grated cheese. Finally, add the olives. When all ingredients are well-blended, cover bowl with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes.

While the sauce is "resting", prepare the pasta of your choice.

Serves 4


Notes to the Chef

This is definitely a tuna sauce for garlic lovers!

Though this is meant to be a cold sauce, it can be gently warmed if you desire. I recommend only warming individual servings in a small saucepan.

Make sure you are using pitted olives. Even cocktail olives (with pimentos) can be used. If you don't care for green olives, substitute black ones. If you don't care for olives at all, they can be omitted entirely. (The original recipe did not use olives, but did use salt. We found the olives gave us all the saltiness we needed,)

Try, if possible, to use fresh parsley. The little bit of extra effort involved in washing and chopping the leaves is quite worth it. Of course, in a pinch, dried parsley can be used.

Try to use fresh garlic, as well. However, if none is available, substitute garlic powder. Prepared, minced garlic from a jar may also be used.

[Edit: Jarred garlic must never, under any circumstances be used! Ever!! There may be a very noticable tartness (from the citric acid used to preserve the garlic), and you will be stuffed into a 55 gallon drum and immediately suspended from the GangsterBB!]

For a thinner sauce, increase the cream. Add small amounts until the sauce is the desired consistency. If you do this, you may also choose to omit the milk.

The original recipe called for light tuna in olive oil. Since this can get a bit pricey (and we preferred white tuna), we did a little experimenting. We found hardly any difference in the final result when other types of tuna were used instead. If anything, the sauce wasn't quite as "heavy" or as salty. But, truthfully, we couldn't notice any substantial difference. (Of course, you can use any tuna you like - white or light, in oil or water.)

As far as the pasta, the sauce goes well with just about anything.

Signor V.

I'm afraid to read the recipe... cuz it's called "Tuna Sauce"... I'm even too afraid to see what it's made of... The sauce of a tuna?? I don't dare even look...

(Hey, if it's not the "sauce" of a tuna... it'd have a different name, right? ...but really... "Tuna Sauce"????)

...in any event... I only get tuna in WATER... the tuna in OIL is just plain disgusting. But when it comes in water, I include it all, water and all -- makes up for evaporation. But the tuna in oil... well... yeah...

What will it take to get people to fully revolt against the jarred "garlic"?

It's NOT the same thing! (I'm not yelling at you, of course... just in general...)

Yep. Tuna Sauce. And, all innuendo aside, it happens to be quite delicious.



Since this sauce is not originally designed to be heated, there shouldn't be an issue with evaporation (if that's how you mean it); you can certainly choose not to drain all the water from the tuna before using it. And many years ago, canned tuna was only available in oil. But, as the wheel had only recently been invented, it was probably a little bit before your time.

For the record, I prefer tuna in water. Nowadays, a lot of canola oil is used in canned tuna, and I intensely dislike its taste. I won't even cook with it, no matter what all those health-conscious Food Police folks keep preaching.



Well, I severely modified the original wording of my post in this regard...perhaps I shouldn't have! Here I was trying (for once) to be nice and diplomatic. Yeah - I think I'll go back and edit what I wrote.

Signor V.

I'm sure it's delicious - I just questioned the name... sounds like something from a sushi menu

And yes, I do recall not having a choice what my tuna is packed in! (That sounds weird... lol) But since there is a choice now....... But in any event, that was just an aside that had nothing to do with your sushi recipe


Thank you.

Tuna in water, Geoffy?

Are you a full blooded Italian, or an imposter?

When it was alive, did tuna swim in oil or water?

If it was caught off the Jersey shore it could've been oil.

Weak. Very weak.

You try to substitute weakfish for tuna and SV will blow a gasket!

Personally, I prefer canned Pastene or Con Tonno. Both Italian in Olive Oil...........


.....on toast with mayo.

Now who's eating junk out of a can?

Attagirl, Mig.... don't take any shit from anyone!!

Italian Tuna packed in Olive Oil is junk out of a can?

Miggy, sweatheart, darling, I think that next time you come here for a BB weekend your going to have to stay for a couple of extra days so that we can school you on the difference between junk food and good food.



BTW : I just opened a can of Tonno (Italian Tuna) packed in olive oil, diced up some celery in the tuna, spooned in some mayo, made some Italian bread toast, sliced a fresh tomato, and had lunch.

Sounds good, DC.

I also like it Italian style, no mayo, but with capers, anchovies, calamata olives and some fresh lemon juice, on a bed of arugola, or other leafy greens.

Pizzaboy, some Italian people even make tuna with sliced up oranges. Ever have it or hear of it?

I've had those little oranges in ALL kinds of salads, in Italy many times. It's very common to pair citrus with greens and fish over there. But to answer you question, I've never tried it with tuna. I'm sure I'd love it though. I've honestly never met a fruit, fish or vegetable that I didn't like.

NOT CANNED ORANGES!!! Only fresh ones!

Don't tell me, tell Miggie!!

Cardi, sweatheart, darling, first of all when and where might the next BB weekend be? And who will be the one to school me? Will there be a quiz involved? Do I need to bring pencil and paper or will that be provided for me?

I'll coach ya, Miggie. He can't beat us both.

How are you going to do that PB? You'll be in the bathroom to much J/K sweets.

No test. No paper and pencil. I call it baptism by fire! We'll just take you to all the great restaurants and make you experience some of their excellent dishes first hand.




Remember who took you for your first authentic kosher styled Pastrami, Corned Beef, Brisket and Tongue sandwiches Mama? Wasn't Pizzaboy. Who made the suggestion to go to La Veranda, the place that you said that you had one of your best meals ever? Wasn't Pizzaboy. WHo hooked us up in Panicos this year? Wasn't Pizzaboy.

Just remember who your Santino and your Michael is. Cardi and DMC, that's who!


But if Pizzaboy wants, he can be your son Freddie! He's smhat, he can coach ya.

Fredo?

I'm fucking Fredo?

Real fucking nice.

You're supposed to say :

"Fredo? I was Fredo? I don't think so."


Notice the smiley, the tongue?

It means that I waz kitting! Come back here PB, I waz onlee kitting!

Baptism by fire! Now I like this kind of schooling. Just name the time and place I am soooooo there. But you have to do the driving around ok


So it is your fault I like Geoff's tongue huh? I really want to take the Col. and go back there. That was a great eating experience.



Thank you DC, you did a wonderful job. If it wasn't for you I never would've had purple mash potatoes this year.I pledge my ever-ending loyalty. Next time I see you I will kiss your pinky ring
BUT then again can I blame you for the scary cab ride I had after we left LaVeranda?

You got it! I'll take care of the driving arrangements.


As for the purple mash potatoes, that was this year and as I said in an earlier post, you have your other son DMC to thank.

Cardi will be your teacher. Just remember to bring the teacher an apple. He loves apples!

All I'm good at is CORING A APPLE!

Can you core a apple?

Oh yes, chef of the future!

Hooo, chef-of-the-future...zip, zip, I AM done...

You obviously are not a Honeymooners fan.

I got it!!! I got the joke!!! Can I be in the Cardi Circle of Trust?

Ok, let's get back on topic here.....


"Tuna Fish? Whadda I look like a cat or sumthin?"

Depends. Can YOU core a Apple?

I haven't seen The Honeymooners in years. But boy was that a favorite in our house!

I tawt I taw a Cardi cat... I tawt I taw a Cardi cat!!

My memory was blocked by an ugly vision....

Does anyone remember which episode the Tuna Fish line was from?

Absolutely NO IDEA what you are talking about.

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I was out exercising my poloponies.

C'mon. It's sooooo easy!

Apparently NOT.

My goodness.


Carlos Sanchez......Mrs. Manicotti!

The Mambo!

That gigolo!!!

Out, OUT, OOOOOUUUUTTTTT!!

Cardi,

What kind of apple do you want?

Red Delicious
Golden Delicious
Granny Smith
Mcintosh

So when does school begin?

None of the above.

In fact, I really don't go crazy for any kind of Apple. Many times an Apple will appear to be sweet on the surface, but is really rotten and sour on the inside.

Sometimes the Apple is even poisonous.

I thought you liked tart apples.

Hmmmm, maybe you just like tarts.

Weren't you the one who told me that you'd eat ANY kind of Apple?

Not me! That was Geoff.

I only like sweet apples.

Oh yes, you're right. He was the one who went Apple picking when we were in Somerset.

He did???? I remember hearing him say that he found a worm in one, and I just assumed he was talking about a bottle of Tequila.

Did he eat the worm?

Probably... he was missing for about 10 minutes.

Well the one in the Tequila bottle was still in there when he was missing. So I guess he ate the other worm.

That could explain the applesauce on his chin.

And all the Apple pie he's had ever since!

Anybody remember what this thread was originally about?

Hmmmmm?

Signor V.

Yeah... thats why it went off-topic.

Ooooo Ooooo I know (saying in my best Arnold Horshack imitation)

I'm sorry Don Cardi hijacked your thread.

What I'm truly sorry about is because of stuff like allergies, etc., folks like you and SC can't enjoy this recipe.

The realization only hit me after I posted it. Ironic, because even though it was a particular crowd pleaser, we had at least one close friend who couldn't eat it for similar reasons.

As Lincoln once said, while devouring his lasagna, "You can't please all of the people all of the time."

Or something like that.

Signor V.

Something like that should not come into consideration when deciding on whether or not you wanna post a recipe. You've been around long enough to know that some topics simply go off-topic for no good reason.

Those Mets totally screwed some of us tonight

Originally Posted By Mig:

I didn't do that. That must've been a different Mignon

Yeah... this one:

Signor,

When are you going to start a topic sharing your Tortellini Baronessa recipe?

I don't know if I dare!

(My version, or the one from Rocky Toto's Restaurant? )

Actually I haven't made it in a bit and I realized I never really wrote anything down; it was always "a pinch of this and a little bit of that". Next time I prepare it I'll have to finally jot down some notes.

No bitter Apples in my version, though.

Signor V.

That is the best way to cook. "a pinch of this and a little bit of that"

I agree Mig.

Mig, I love you but I don't wanna hear about what you and the Colonel do in the kitchen.

Why not? Luv ya too.