Tested and Perfected by Food and Wine
Pinzimonio with Tonnato Sauce
© Anna Williams

Pinzimonio with Tonnato Sauce

Contributed by
  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 20 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 6
  • •FAST
  • •HEALTHY
  • •MAKE-AHEAD
  • •STAFF-FAVORITE

Pinzimonio is a supersimple Italian dish of raw vegetables served with seasoned olive oil for dipping. In his clever variation, Nate Appleman replaces the olive oil with tonnato, a creamy sauce made with tuna and lemon.

  1. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  2. One 8-ounce jar Italian tuna in olive oil, drained
  3. 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  4. 4 oil-packed anchovies, drained
  5. 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
  6. 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  7. 1/4 pound green, Roma or wax beans
  8. 8 Parisian round carrots or baby carrots
  9. 4 tender celery ribs with leaves attached, quartered crosswise
  10. 2 lemon, Persian or Kirby cucumbers, peeled and quartered lengthwise
  11. 2 small watermelon radishes, cut into 8 wedges each, or 10 small radishes, halved
  12. 1 fennel bulb, cored and cut into 16 wedges
  13. 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  1. In a food processor, combine the 1/4 cup of olive oil with the tuna, lemon juice, anchovies, capers and mayonnaise. Process until smooth. Scrape the tonnato sauce into a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate.
  2. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the beans until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; pat dry.
  3. Arrange the beans, carrots, celery, cucumbers, radishes and fennel on a platter; sprinkle with the sea salt. Drizzle the tonnato with olive oil; serve with the vegetables.

Suggested Pairing

Vermentino, an Italian grape that reaches its peak in coastal regions like Liguria and Sardinia, has a light herbal note that makes it a particularly appealing partner for crudités (not to mention tonnato sauce).