When traveling through Sicily, you will often encounter tuna or swordfish rollatini—or involtini, as the Sicilians call them. It is a traditional dish. What makes the dish particularly delicious and interesting is that they roll the rollatini in seasoned bread crumbs before grilling. The way I prepare the rollatini, they get a marvelous range of flavors by marinating before grilling in garlic, olive oil, and fresh thyme; then I smother them with a fresh tomato-and-lemon salsa after they’ve cooked (and try not to eat them for a couple of hours). The longer they sit—before and after grilling—the more flavorful they become. This is also a versatile preparation. Make as many rollatini as you want from a big piece of tuna, as I explain in the box, and schedule their marinating periods and quick grilling to your convenience. Serve them hot off the grill or later, at room temperature, when they taste even better. One rollatino makes a beautiful first course; two make a satisfying main course; a few rollatini slices make a terrific tuna sandwich for a picnic. And if you want to enjoy these any time of year—or if you don’t have a grill—just pop them in your oven (see below).

　　

Ingredients

8 rollatini, serving 4 or more

　　

For the Garlic-Infused Oil

2 fat garlic cloves, sliced

　　1/8 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　

For the Flavored Bread Crumbs

1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

　　1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

　　Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

　　1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon peperoncino (hot red pepper flakes), chopped into little bits

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted pine nuts

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped golden raisins

　　2 tablespoons garlic-infused oil (ingredients above)

　　

For Grilling and Marinating the Rollatini

1 1/2 pounds fresh tuna loin in one piece (see below)

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　About 6 fresh thyme branches

　　About 2 cups Fresh Tomato-Lemon Salsa (a full batch; recipe follows)

　　

Fresh Tomato-Lemon Salsa

2 medium summer tomatoes, seeded, chopped in 1/3-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

　　1/2 cup finely diced red onion

　　1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

　　1 wedge (lengthwise quarter) of a large lemon

　　1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

　　2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives or Italian parsley

　　(makes about 2 cups)

　　

Preparing the Garlic Oil and Crumbs

Step 1

Stir the garlic slices and salt into olive oil. Allow to infuse for at least 1/2 hour, preferably an hour or more.

　　

Step 2

Mix all the seasonings with the bread crumbs, then stir in the 2 tablespoons of garlic oil. Rub the crumbs with your fingers so they’re evenly moistened.

　　

Preparing the Rollatini

Step 3

As shown in the photos on the next page, slice the tuna into 3-ounce scallops; flatten and spread them (if necessary) to 1/4-inch thickness with a meat mallet.

　　

Step 4

Sprinkle each scallop with a couple of pinches of salt, then cover with a thin layer, about 1 1/2 teaspoons, of the seasoned bread crumbs.

　　

Step 5

Roll up and secure the rollatini with toothpicks, and place them all in a baking dish, close together in one layer. Drizzle over them 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil, scatter in a spoonful of the oily garlic slices, drop in the thyme branches, and turn the rollatini to coat with oil on all sides. Let them marinate for at least an hour, preferably a couple of hours or overnight (refrigerated).

　　

Grilling and Marinating with Tomato Salsa

Step 6

Heat the clean grill rack over medium heat, using gas or charcoal. Take the rollatini out of the marinating dish and roll them in the bread crumbs. Press a bit, so a light coating of crumbs adheres to the rolls on all sides.

　　

Step 7

When the grill is ready, lay the rollatini at right angles to the grill bars and let them sear without moving for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, until they’ve been branded with nice gold marks on the bottom. The crumbs should be toasted but not burned. If the fish and crumbs are darkening much faster, lower the heat, raise the rack, or spread the coals out.

　　

Step 8

Using tongs, rotate the rollatini 180 degrees, so the first marks are on top; grill and mark the opposite side for about 2 minutes. Turn 90 degrees and grill about 1 1/2 minutes on a third side. Finally, rotate them all top to bottom again, so the remaining unmarked side of each roll is on the grill. They should need only a minute or so to mark. Drizzle garlic oil in tiny amounts on the rollatini, if you wish, after each turn.

　　

Step 9

After being grilled on all sides, about 6 to 7 minutes total, the rollatini should be cooked through but moist in the middle (you can cut one open if you are concerned about doneness). Immediately remove them to a clean baking dish (I usually just wash and dry the one in which they marinated in garlic oil). Pull out the toothpicks.

　　

Step 10

Serve the hot grilled rollatini, if you want, with any of the cold sauces beginning on page 362. For the most flavor, spread the Tomato-Lemon Salsa (recipe follows) over the top of the rollatini and marinate for 2 to 3 hours, until the rolls have cooled and been infused with the sauce. Serve at room temperature, one or two per person, with sauce on top. For longer marinating, refrigerate the sauced rollatini after 3 hours at room temperature and serve the next day—leftovers will keep and taste fine for about 4 days, properly sealed.

　　

Fresh Tomato-Lemon Salsa

Step 11

Toss the chopped tomatoes in a bowl with the red onion and the salt. Trim the ends of the lemon wedge and pick out any seeds. Lay it on one of its flat sides and slice the wedge lengthwise thinly, then crosswise. Let the slivers of lemon fall apart, and slice or chop any long pieces into short bits. Scrape all the lemon into the bowl, and toss with the tomatoes. Then toss with the vinegar, oil, and chopped herbs.

　　

Step 12

Spread the marinade over grilled tuna rollatini, or serve as a condiment for other grilled or steamed seafood.

　　

Buying Tuna for Rollatini

Step 13

To make the rollatini, I start with a compact, evenly shaped chunk of tuna loin, which is easy to cut into thin slices, or scallops, about 3 ounces each. It is also simple to figure out how much tuna to buy: just multiply 3 ounces by the number of rollatini you need and ask the fishmonger for a single piece of tuna that total weight. Then mark off equal pieces and slice the chunk crosswise. For example, the chunk in the photo on page 306 is 1 1/2 pounds, or 24 ounces, and I cut it in eight equal scallops. To make twelve rollatini (to serve six or more), I’d start with a 36-ounce, or 2 1/4-pound, section of tuna loin.

　　

Step 14

If pre-cut tuna steaks are all you can find, make your 3-ounce scallops by laying each steak flat and slicing it in layers as you would a cake. You could also have the fishmonger slice the scallops. However, uncut tuna stays fresher longer, so I recommend that you buy one solid piece and cut it yourself.

　　

Step 15

For rollatini—as for marinated Tonno sott’Olio (page 10)—I prefer loin pieces with the belly flap, or ventresca, attached. The flesh has more fat and flavor and is easier to grill without drying it out. If it’s a small tuna, you should be able to cut the loin and ventresca as one slice; if the tuna is big, then separate the ventresca and cut it separately. The ventresca is a bit flatter, so cut on a bias.

　　

Tuna Rollatini in the Oven

Step 16

When grilling is not possible, baked rollatini can be almost as delicious. Follow the same preparation as for grilling. Arrange the rolls an inch or so apart in a shallow baking pan (lightly filmed with garlic oil) and bake in a preheated 400° oven for about 10 minutes, or until the crumbs are crusty and nicely colored and the fish is just cooked through but still moist. Serve any way you like: marinated under tomato-lemon salsa or hot from the oven.

　　From Lidia's Family table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright (c) 2004 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York. Jay Jacob's journalism has appeared in many national magazines.From the Trade Paperback edition.