Tonno

“Tonnare” is the system of nets used by fishermen in Calabria and Sicily to catch tuna. These nets are placed in the sea in such a way as to channel shoals of tuna so that they cannot escape and they are then harpooned. It is a pretty messy way of catching fish, but one trip can produce tons and tons of tuna fish. The canning of tuna fish probably first came into existence as a way to cope with these sudden gluts.

When tinned, tuna fish is eaten in a totally different way to the fresh variety and can be used in sauces and antipasti. Fresh tuna, on the other hand, is eaten in a similar way to swordfish, sliced and usually grilled as a steak, or cooked with tomato sauce. Tuna can be eaten raw like carpaccio, providing the meat is very fresh, and can also be eaten as mosciame — air-dried fillets. Ventresca or the belly of the tuna was often salted in barrels or canned as a particular delicacy. When tuna roes are salted and air-dried they are known as bottarga di tonno.