Pan Bagnat
I think of pan bagnat (pahn bahn ya) as a salad disguised as a sandwich. Originating in Nice, France, this sandwich was a meal for fishermen or shepherds who didn’t always have access to fresh bread (pan) and was bathed (bagnat) with a little water to soften it. The original pan bagnat actually wasn’t made with have tuna as it was considered food for the rich. There’s also an association in France that is fighting for the legal protection of the traditional recipe — turns out you can’t put anything between bread and call it pan bagnat on Nice’s restaurant menus.
Although it’s not “traditional” and the French will scoff (see above), feel free to raid your pantry or fridge. Parsley, arugula, watercress, marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red bell peppers, mayonnaise, etc. This is your sandwich — which is why we’re not giving you amounts of anything. Everything is suggested so get wild (or tame)!
Pan Bagnat is best made at least two hours before so the flavors can meld together and the bread gets a liiiiittle soggy. Wrap the sandwich and press it under something heavy like a cast iron pan in the refrigerator. Or, do as the French do! Make the sandwich in the morning and when driving to the beach, have the kids sit on them to press them down. The longer you wait, the better it will be! It’s perfect for a picnic on the beach, a pontoon lunch, or a late night snack.
Pan Bagnat
makes however many sandwiches you dream of
shopping list —
demi baguette, or one baguette cut to your desired size — ciabatta or a country loaf also works
ventresca or tinned tuna — our favorite is Arroyabe Ventresca
heirloom tomatoes
cucumbers
olives + anchovies + capers + garlic for a quick tepanade
red onion
hard boiled or soft boiled eggs
basil
dijon mustard
garlic
red wine vinegar
olive oil
lemon
equipment —
knife + cutting board
parchment paper to wrap it
steps —
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and toast your bread.
Slice all your ingredients that you’re using.
*Tips:
Tomatoes: season with salt, cracked black pepper, a pinch of sugar, and a few dashes of vinegar.
Cucumbers: thinly slice and season with salt. Wait 5-10 minutes then drain off any liquid.
Olives + anchovies + capers + garlic: finely chop or robot coupe with olive oil to make a quick tapenade.
Red onion: thinly slice into rings and soak in ice water for 5-10 minutes to take away the bite. Drain before using.
Hard boiled eggs: peel when warm, shock again in an ice bath, slice into quarters or coins, and season with salt & pepper.
Cut the baguette in half hot-dog-style, scoop out some of the bread on both sides, rub with garlic, and spread the Dijon mustard and olive tapenade onto both sides of the bread.
On the bottom half of the bread, lay the tomatoes down, add the entire tin of ventresca evenly over the tomatoes, then add the onion, cucumber, and hard boiled eggs — or any vegetables and greens you have. Season with red wine vinegar, lemon, and olive oil (bonus points if you use the ventresca oil instead!). You want it to be pretty heavily doused in the vinegar and oil — pan bagnat literally means bathed bread — so it will soak into the crusty bread.
Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper and press it under something heavy (like a cast iron pan) in the refrigerator for a few hours, flipping them halfway through.