Belly tuna is one of the finest parts of tuna, it is taken from the belly muscles - fatter and softer - and is sold in fillets. It lends itself to numerous recipes, eaten fresh or preserved in olive oil.
Since it’s a fairly fatty part of the tuna in almost all recipes, especially those where it is eaten fresh, there is a tendency to clean the fat of the ventresca. Therefore, barbecued or grilled is ideal.
Let's start with spaghetti with ventresca, a quick pasta made in just 15 minutes and perfect to serve in summer. Still on the subject of first courses and spaghetti, this precious part of the tuna becomes a treasured ingredient to add to pasta alla carrettiera too, a Sicilian specialty.
For those who particularly love sweet and sour flavors, the ventresca becomes an invaluable ingredient - a slice of fish with spinach, raisins, and pine nuts or with raw ham for an excellent dish that crosses "sea and mountains".
Some delicious main courses with tuna belly to try, especially in summer for their fresh and light taste, are foccacine with onion, an Arabic sandwich combined with swordfish or rice cakes with belly tuna, mozzarella cheese and tomato.
Who wants to make a very special aperitif using ventresca tuna? A pineapple boat with avocado, delightful to the eyes and the palate.
Check out our tutorial and other tips on preparing ventresca tuna.
