Recipe of the Week: Fancy Fish Sticks

Fig season is just coming to an end so grab some of the grab some of the last ripe ones and try this out as a great appetizer.

Bastoncini di tonno – serves 4

Fresh tuna steaks – 2 steaks or about 200g
16 thin slices of pancetta affumicata (or normal pancetta, or bacon)
sesame seeds
Red pepper corns
1 fresh fig – peeled and hand crushed
grated orange peel

1. Cut tuna into 16 small sticks, about 1 cm x 3 cm (.5in x 1.5 in).
2. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, pepper corns, orange peel and crushed fig.
3.  Toss all ingredients well and make sure fig is all broken up so you don’t have any chunks of fruit.
4. Lay strips of pancetta on a clean counter top and tightly wrap each piece of tuna with one strip.
5. Drizzle strips with a little bit of olive oil and back for 6-8 minutes at 180C (350F).
6. Serve immediately with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar – or better yet a balsamic reduction.