Lidia's Italy

Tonno in Italian, tuna is a staple in any Italian pantry. This isn’t your typical tuna for mayonnaise-soaked tuna salad sandwiches—it’s much, much better. Packed in olive oil, Mediterranean tuna, also called Bluefin tuna (tonno rosso) is darker, richer and very good for you. Darker, oil-packed fish is, of course, higher in fat, but low in the harmful saturated fats. Tuna packed in olive oil has become readily available in American markets. Stock your shelves with canned Italian tuna in olive oil and add it to your spread next time you make antipasto or just need a quick, healthy snack! Drain the olive oil before using the tuna—although my grandmother would always find uses for that oil; sometimes she fed it to the cats, who loved it and licked their whiskers.