What Baba Cooked

This is easily one of the most popular things I can serve up when we have a gathering. Which kind of surprised me because I never used to love canned tuna! It’s also good spread on toast and sandwiches as a spread.

The original recipe comes from my one of my husband’s favourite cousins overseas, but since she makes it on the other side of the world I had to swap some of the ingredients. This does makes a large-ish quantity, but it does keep in the fridge for up to a week.

You can make it with either goats cheese or cream cheese, although the authentic is made with Zdenka cream cheese triangles, the kind you get in the round pack. As always, feel free to tweak the quantities until you’re happy with the flavour. Decorate with some capers and parsely, or don’t. It’s amazing as it is.

What you need:

• 1 large can of good quality tuna
• cornichons or gherkins, about 10 or so, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbpn salted capers, rinsed
• 6 anchovy fillets, in oil
• 100 g fresh goat’s cheese or 250 g cream cheese
• fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor or blender. Pulse a couple of times to just combine.

2. Slowly adding the olive oil in a thin stream, process until you have a smooth paste. You may not need all of the oil to reach the desired consistency {or you might need a bit more}. Serve with toasted sourdough, Turkish bread, or crackers.