Vitello Tonnato, Naples, Pompeii & "Tutti Quanti......." (An Italian Moment-Part II)

Et oui....those that follow me have seen the images of the first part of my Italian trip...the Amalfi Coast (here) unrivalled in its beauty.... But the area tout wouldn't be complete without a visit to Naples and the ruins of Pompeii....

It is true that Naples does not have a reputation for being the image of cleanliness....and driving can be a life-risking hazard, but the city welcomes the visitor,and maybe shows us  Italy as it is..chaotic, enchanting, boisterous, generous in its excess, the summit of art....It's Italy and you "take it or leave it" You adore these Italians as they are..or go to Sweden! 

I adore Italians! 

Why Vitello Tonnato? Because it is Italian, but also as Argentinian as the tango! (this is why it is on Menu Malbec!) There isn't one Christmas table in Buenos Aires without a special place for this Italian visitor (well..Xmas can be VERY hot...so we favor a kind of "buffet froid".... 

Visiting the ruins of Pompeii is not only a lesson in history but also a challenge for your imagination...Seeing all those artifacts you try to reconstruct their daily life..Did they use those vases only for water, or something else...wine? juices? (lemonades?) What kind of bread did they bake in those ovens? Were thermal baths part of everyday life? or was it only for certain occasions...? What were people doing the moment the Vesuvius erupted? 

To complete the jigsaw puzzle, a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Naples imposes itself....there you will be able to find what was in the houses, and by looking at the magnificent mosaics, for example, you will be able to discover hints of what those people thought, did, felt, etc...They loved keeping dogs as pets...as this mosaic testifies! 

Did people in Pompeii eat vitello tonnato? What a mistery!! In the meanwhile, till the day one archaeologist finds a proof....enjoy it!! 

To make this Vitello Tonnato, you will need:

(N.B: this is not the original recipe, this is my mother's simplified version!)

Serves 5-7

* veal, 1 kilo *carrots, onions, bay leaf, persil, 2 cloves of garlic for a vegetable stock (you can add a Knorr cube for extra flavor) * tuna, packed in oil, 350gr * mayonnaise, 5tbsp *Greek yoghurt, 2tbsp * salted anchovies (in oil), 6 *capers, 1tbsp (plus extra to decorate) *mustard, 1tbsp *juice of 1/2 lemon *hard-boiled eggs (optional, for decoration)

Put the veal in a cocotte, with all the vegetables, sliced, bay leaf, the cloves of garlic. Cover with water (half way) Cook in oven (160°C) for 60/80'. You could brown the veal on a pan with olive oil beforehand, if desired. Remove the cocotte from the oven, let the veal rest there till cool, or preferably overnight in the fridge. Remove the veal, wrap it with aluminum paper, and keep in the fridge till the moment of serving. 

For the sauce, in a mixer, put the tuna (I remove part of the oil!), anchovies,  the mayonnaise, mustard, yoghurt, lemon juice and capers. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with pepper (salt? don't think it is necessary!) If too thick, correct with some extra olive oil. Refrigerate till serving time. Serve on a flat dish. Chopped hard-boiled eggs and capers can be used for decoration.