Sirena Tuna Polpettone with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Directions

1. Soak the bread in milk for 20 minutes or until soft. Mush up the bread with a fork or using your hands, drain off excess liquid, then add tuna, eggs, parmesan, herbs, olives and lemon zest. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
2. Prepare a large sheet of baking paper on a flat surface. Place the mixture in the middle of the paper and form a 30x10 log. Wrap the mixture in the baking paper and rest in the freezer to firm up for 10 minutes. In the meantime, heat up your oven to 200 C, conventional.
3. Transfer the tuna parcel to an oven tray and bake for 30minutes.
4. To make the sauce, heat up the oil in a pan, add garlic and chilli and fry off for 1 minute. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and cook over a low heat for 15minutes. Turn heat off and add basil leaves.
5. Serve warm, at room temperature, or even cold from the fridge with the sauce.
6. Note: You can also add baby capers to the mix, for a salty kick. Tuna polpettone is better sliced once it’s cooled down, or it might break apart a little.