Chef Alessandro Cartumini combines his Northern Italian upbringing with local ingredients and artisanal products to create the contemporary Italian cuisine of Quattro (E. Palo Alto, CA).  His culinary training began as a child growing up in a family devoted to food; he read cookbooks and practiced cooking in the kitchen. His culinary career began at 14 when he became an apprentice to Chef Sergio Mei at the Pitrizza Hotel in Costa Smeralda, Sardegna, Italy.  Following 15 years of culinary experience in Milan, Berlin, London and San Diego, Chef Cartumini became Executive Chef at Quattro where he says “I like to combine classic preparations with seasonal ingredients”.  Today, he shares with us his recipe for “Citrus Scented Ahi Tuna Tartar with Saffron Focaccia Crisp”. Describing the dish, Chef Cartumini says “I add to the tuna a great extra virgin olive oil from Tuscany that I use in Quattro as a finisher for many of my dishes. I tend to utilize lots of ingredients and I personally believe in the right balance of them in order to create a taste and a consistency in the palate that make the simpler preparation unique. In this dish, the saffron focaccia adds a great scent to the fresh and slightly spicy tuna. I tried this recipe for the first time at an off-site event with 50 pounds of tuna and 1000 saffron focaccia crisps. It was a good way to see if our clientèle would like it. By the end of the night it was gone…”.  Give this amazing dish a try for yourself or stop by Quattro and let Chef Cartumini create his spectacular version for you! 

Citrus Scented Ahi Tuna Tartare with Saffron Focaccia Crisp

By Alessandro Cartumini, Executive Chef at Quattro Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley.

Serves 4, as an appetizer

• 1 lb ahi tuna loin, center cut
• 1 tsp chives, washed and thinly chopped
• 4 basil leaves thinly shaved
• Zest of ½ lemon  
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 Tbsp very good extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch ground pink peppercorn
• 1 teaspoon small diced shallots
• ½ teaspoon garlic cloves, oven roasted until soft then chopped
• 1 pinch ground chili flakes
• 4 drops of Tabasco (or more if you like it spicier)
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Juice of 2 blood oranges reduced in a small sauce pan until syrup
• 1 blood orange peeled and cut into 4 wheels
• Smoked salt to garnish
• 12 small slices of focaccia topped with extra virgin olive oil and toasted in the oven at 325°F until very crispy

Small dice the ahi tuna.

Reserve blood orange reduction, slices, focaccia crisps  and smoked salt for last.

Season tuna with all remaining ingredients.

On the serving plate place one blood orange section in the center.

Pack tuna tartare in a round mold and place atop blood orange.

Sprinkle smoked salt on top and drizzle blood orange reduction around.

Lay 3 focaccia crisps on one side.

Enjoy.

Saffron Focaccia

By Alessandro Cartumini, Executive Chef at Quattro Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley.

• 4 Cups bread flour
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 ½ Cup water
• ½ Cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1oz beer yeast
• ½ Tbsp saffron powder

Boil water and infuse saffron for 30 minutes.

Combine dry and wet ingredients in a bowl and mix for 3 minutes at low speed in a mixer.

Move to a faster speed for about 7 minutes.

Proof at 75-80F for 1 hour.

Spread dough into a well oiled sheet pan, brush top with extra virgin olive oil.

Proof for 30 minutes at 75-80F.

Brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with rock salt.

Bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes.

When golden brown, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

About Quattro Restaurant

The Italian word for "four", the name is in line with the architectural design of the restaurant as a large light airy room with glass on three sides. The room is lit dramatically at night and illuminates the front of the hotel entrance. Quattro  features Northern Italian seasonal and light cuisine with a fresh Cal-Italian twist at breakfast and lunch. The dinner menu features contemporary Italian cuisine, with roots in northern Italy, and is known for showcasing the finest local ingredients and artisanal products, including handmade pastas and breads and farm-fresh cheeses. Executive Chef Alessandro Cartumini, a native of Lago Maggiore in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, features locally grown produce and artisan products from northern California farms. Attentive, unobtrusive service compliments the exquisite menu and an extensive wine list features predominantly California wines with many boutique offerings as well as an extensive Italian selection.