Maltese-style bruschetta (hobż biż-żejt)

Ingredients

• 4 crusty ciabatta rolls
• 4 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
• extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 20 white anchovies in oil
• 10 black olives, cheeks sliced off
• 40 g baby pickled onions, thinly sliced
• 200 g fresh ricotta
• 1 tbsp tiny capers, rinsed and drained
• handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Confit tuna

• 600 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 star anise
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 5 white peppercorns
• 1 tsp salt
• rind of ½  lemon, peeled off in wide strips
• rind of ½ orange, peeled off in wide strips
• 120 g piece fresh tuna, skin and bloodline removed

Cooling time: 20 minutes

Instructions

For the confit tuna, place the olive oil, spices and citrus rinds in a small heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Using a probe thermometer as a guide, slowly bring the temperature to 70°C. Once the oil has reached temperature, add the tuna and remove the pan from the heat. Stand the tuna in the oil to cool. Once cool, remove the tuna from oil – it should be pink on the inside.

To assemble, cut the rolls in half and spread the tomato paste evenly over both sides. Drizzle the bases with olive oil, then top with the white anchovies, olive cheeks, pickled onions, ricotta, capers and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle generously with olive oil. Place the bread tops on and serve immediately.

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