Pan Bagnat
Summer in a sandwich
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Hello readers! Thanks for being here. I’m so grateful that warmer and longer days are here. That can only mean one thing— it’s picnic season! I love how meals become more casual this time of year. With the abundance and variety of (almost) summer produce, it takes very little to get a meal on the table or onto the picnic blanket. One the very best things to do is to take a light dinner to the beach and stay there until it gets dark — or even beyond if someone is making a bonfire.
This week’s recipe is for Pan Bagnat (pā ba’na) which has been a longtime favorite of mine. I included it in my first book, Recipes: A Collection for the Modern Cook. You may have heard it called a Niçoise sandwich, but I like the original French name better. Directly translated, it means “bathed bread” which is the key to this intentionally soggy sandwich. I know that may not sound that enticing, but bear with me!
Imagine allll of the Mediterranean flavors packed into a single baguette or a roll and then left to marinate until you’re ready to eat it at home or take it along wherever you’re going. By the time you serve it, all of those juicy flavors will have melded together and soaked the bread (but not the crust) in the most delicious way. It’s meant to be made ahead. It only gets better as it sits in the fridge, preferably under some weight, such as heavy cans. Don’t forget to pack plenty of napkins if you’re picnicking; you’re going to need them.
Traditionally, Pan Bagnat is a vehicle for canned tuna — the good, oily kind — and anchovies, jammy eggs, and olives, along with a list of vegetables that can be varied according to what you have on hand. Feel free to get creative with the veggies. Use thinly sliced fennel instead of celery, scallion instead of red onion, thinly sliced fresh baby artichokes if you have them, a smash of chickpeas or fava beans, and thinly sliced bell peppers instead of the roasted ones. If you want to make a vegetarian version, simply leave out the tuna and anchovies.
If you do use anchovies, tuck them into the dressing to distribute their flavor better — and to trick people into eating them. If you love them, add some whole ones to the sandwich; they really do add to the authentic savory flavor of this sandwich. But if you detest them, leave them out!
And now for the most important part: The Bread. Since this was a sandwich originally invented as a way to use day-old bread, keep that in mind, and don’t feel bad about using day old bread! I am giving you permission. In Nice, the bakeries make rolls purpose-built for this sandwich. They used to make them at a little bakery in NYC called Ceci-Cela, and maybe they still do!
Here are your best options: a crunchy baguette with a crisp crust, a ciabatta loaf, or even better, ciabatta rolls, and perhaps even a Kaiser roll, aka a “bulky roll”. I have not tried this one, but I think it would work well. It is about the same size as a true pan bagnat roll. Being round, you can pack the filling in after hollowing it out a bit, and the edges will enclose everything, making it easy to eat. I used some mini sourdough loaves I found at my supermarket this time, but next time I will seek out ciabatta rolls, because I think they will provide the perfect bread-to-filling ratio, and I love the ciabatta airiness, flavor and chew. Whatever bread you choose, you want something that can take the juiciness of the filling without getting the crust soggy.
Even if you can't make it to Nice this summer, this sandwich will transport you in spirit. Bring it to your next picnique, and enjoy!
Le sigh….
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Pan Bagnat
Click here for a printable version
Serves 4
I particularly like oil-cured olives for this recipe for their buttery flavor. They are generally less salty than other olives, which also suits me. They can be a little harder to find though, so Kalamata is the next best thing. Niçoise would be the most traditional, but they are almost impossible to pit. If you find pitted Niçoise olives, they would be a perfect choice.
For the vinaigrette:
1 large garlic clove, sliced
3 to 4 anchovies (or 2 teaspoons anchovy paste)
1 tablespoon brined capers, rinsed
3 black oil-cured or Kalamata olives, pitted
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the sandwich:
2 large eggs
1 crusty baguette
1 roasted pepper (either homemade or jarred)
1 to 2 small tomatoes, sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 6-ounce jar or can oil-packed tuna
½ cup oil-cured black (or Kalamata) olives, pitted and halved
1 tablespoon brined capers, rinsed
Freshly ground pepper
8 to 10 basil leaves
Make the vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients in a food processor (preferably a mini) or a blender. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside. This can be made up to one day ahead of time.
Cook the eggs: place the cold eggs in a small pot of cold water, add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Let boil for one minute and turn off the heat. Let sit for 7 minutes for a jammy yolk, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Let sit a few minutes until cool, peel, slice, and set aside.
Slice the baguette lengthwise, making the cut towards the bottom third of the loaf, and hollow out the top half to make some room for the filling. Spoon about 2/3 of the vinaigrette on both sides of the baguette. Layer the ingredients on the open baguette starting with the peppers, followed by the tomatoes, celery, onion, tuna, olives, eggs, and the capers. Drizzle remaining dressing over the filling and top with the bail leaves.
Close the baguette and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place on a small sheet pan to catch any leaks, and top with another small sheet pan or cutting board. Weight with some heavy cans or jars and let sit for at least one hour and as long as overnight. Slice into four pieces and serve.
Thank you, can’t wait to make this! Summer dining is the best!