Make slits in the meat with a sharp-pointed knife and fill with the anchovy fillets, then bind the meat with kitchen twine so it keeps its shape. Peel and rinse the onion, carrot and celery and coarsely chop. Put the meat in a casserole dish with a heavy bottom, into which it just fits, add the sliced vegetables, parsley, peeled garlic clove, zest and juice of the 1/2 lemon, peppercorns, white wine and two cups of cold water (unsalted).
Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to minimum and cook for about 50 minutes. Remove the meat and put it into a suitably shaped container (a rectangular refrigerator box or cake tin). Submerge the meet completely in the cooking liquid, seal with cling film and let cool. Cooling will take several hours, so you can even cook the meat the day before, keeping it in the refrigerator covered in its broth.
When it’s time to prepare the dish, drain the tuna of its oil and purée in the blender, pour into a bowl and add about two tablespoons of anchovy paste. Dilute with the veal broth to get a smooth, fluid mixture.
Make a mayonnaise with the eggs, oil and lemon juice and blend it with the tuna mixture and ground white pepper. The sauce should be fairly fluid, so a bit more veal broth can be added if needed.
Drain the meat, dry off with paper towels and cut as thin as possible (using a slicer if you have one). Arrange the slices in layers on a deep platter, covering each layer of veal with some of the sauce. Seal the platter with cling film and keep cool until serving time.
Garnish with carrot slices and cut salad leaves or with attractively arranged little capers.
An appetizing cold dish that willingly pairs both with a white and a red. Isolano Dolce&Gabbana e Donnafugata, an enveloping Carricante of extraordinary minerality, Vigna di Gabri, the Ansonica-predominant blend with a pleasant savory finish, or Sherazade, the single variety Nero d’Avola with delicate spicy notes.
