Recipe: Tonnato Sauce with Crostini

Makes 30 The crostini:

1/2 sweet French baguette, sliced 1/8-inch thick into about 30 slices (day old is fine)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste

The tonnato sauce:

1 can (4-ounce) oil-packed tuna, drained

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons capers, either salted or jarred (see Note)

1/2 teaspoon Asian fish sauce (or to taste), or 2 or 3 anchovy fillets

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed

Optional garnishes:

Small strips of roasted red bell pepper

Tiny cherry tomatoes, halved

Finely diced hard-cooked egg

1. For the crostini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place the bread slices in a large bowl and drizzle with a thin stream of the olive oil while tossing with tongs. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Place in one layer on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven until slices start to become golden, 8 minutes. Flip and finish until crisp and lightly browned, 2-4 minutes. Let cool.

3. For the tonnato sauce: Put all sauce ingredients in a blender with 2 tablespoons water. Purée until smooth. If sauce is too thick, thin with a little water or more lemon juice.

4. Spread each crostini with a thin layer of tonnato sauce and top with 1-2 optional garnishes, or place sauce in a bowl with a spreading knife and arrange the crostini around it on a platter for guests to make themselves.

Note: If using salted capers, rinse them thoroughly, then place in clean water and soak for at least 30 minutes to reduce salt flavor. Rinse again and drain before using.

You should have a bit of this versatile sauce left over. To make sure you have enough for the Spaghetti with Tonnato & Crispy Breadcrumbs, double the sauce recipe and use the leftover baguette for the breadcrumbs. You can also serve tonnato sauce with pork cutlets, or, more traditionally, as an accompaniment to braised veal.

Adapted from a recipe by San Francisco Chronicle columnist Amanda Berne