Originally from the region of Nice, pan-bagnat (bathed/wet bread) is a delicious sandwich worth making and keeping in the fridge for lunch or dinner. In France they use pain de campagne (“country bread”), which we weren’t able to find for this recipe here in New York.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, split
about 1 teaspoon sea salt–or to taste
about 1 teaspoon black pepper–or to taste
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pitted olives, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon drained capers
about 10 basil leaves, whole or shredded
1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
10 anchovies, chopped
2 6-ounce cans tuna in oil, drained
1 14-inch ciabatta loaf split in half lengthwise
How to make it:
With a mortar and pestle, mince garlic clove, mixing it with salt. Add olive oil to it. Drizzle both halves of bread with one part of the oil mix, and season with black pepper.
Break tuna into chunks and spread over bottom of bread. Scatter olives, anchovies and capers over tuna; top with bell pepper, onion and cucumber slices. Drizzle with more oil and sprinkle with vinegar. Lay tomato slices over sandwich. Drizzle lightly with oil. Tear basil leaves over sandwich and cover with other bread half.
Wrap sandwich tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and cover with a dish towel. The easiest way to weigh down the sandwich by sitting on it for a few minutes, until it lowers. Then use a heavy pot with heavy objects on it, such as books or vases. Ready to serve in two hours, at room temperature. Cut the sandwich is half, quarters and octuples for 8 equal size pieces.
Total time: 20 min to prepare, 2 h weighing
Yield: 4 servings
FOOD RECIPE by Lucas Eller
