Tonno Recipe

Dice and slice

Rinse the red bell pepper, tomato and basil. Remove seeds and core from the bell pepper, then dice into 1 cm pieces. Core the tomato and dice to roughly the same size. Peel the onion and finely slice (or dice) into thin strips. Tear or roughly chop the fresh mozzarella into bite-sized pieces. Reserve a few basil leaves whole for garnish and roughly chop the remaining leaves.

Drain and flake tuna

Ensure the canned tuna is well drained. Transfer the tuna to a medium bowl and use a fork to gently flake it into bite-sized chunks, leaving some texture.

Make pesto dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together the basil pesto, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and black pepper until smooth and slightly loosened. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more lemon or salt if needed.

Combine tuna and dressing

Pour about two-thirds of the pesto dressing over the flaked tuna. Gently fold to combine, ensuring the tuna is coated but not mashed. Reserve the remaining dressing to toss with vegetables and mozzarella.

In a large bowl or on a serving platter, combine the diced red pepper, diced tomato, and sliced onion. Drizzle the remaining pesto dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat.

Add the dressed vegetables to the bowl with the tuna and fold together gently so the vegetables are evenly distributed through the tuna. Add the torn/chopped mozzarella and chopped basil, folding once more to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt or pepper if required.

Transfer the Tonno mixture to a serving dish. Garnish with reserved whole basil leaves. Serve immediately with crusty bread or toasted crostini on the side so guests can spoon the mixture onto bread, or serve on a bed of salad greens if preferred.

If preparing ahead: refrigerate covered for up to 2 hours. Fresh mozzarella can release liquid if held longer, so add mozzarella just before serving if making ahead of time.