Pan Bagnat (Provençal Tuna Sandwich)
A pressed, olive-oil-soaked sandwich from Nice: crusty country rolls filled with tuna, ripe tomato, crisp radish, olives, and anchovies. A short press lets the vinaigrette seep into the crumb, so it tastes best after it has rested. It needs no cooking, and it travels well for picnics.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 30 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Makes
- 4 sandwiches
Steps
Before you start
- Buy round country rolls with a sturdy crust and open, chewy crumb, about 4 inches (10 cm) across. Soft rolls turn mushy when pressed.
- Use the ripest in-season tomatoes you can find. They provide most of the flavor and juice.
- Clear a shelf in the fridge for pressing. You'll need a tray and a weight of about 3 to 4 lb (1.5 to 2 kg), such as a cast-iron skillet or a few full cans.
- Tinned tuna and anchovies are already salty, so salt the tomatoes lightly and taste the filling before adding more.
Salt the tomatoes
- Lay the tomato slices in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate or in a colander set over a bowl.
- Sprinkle with the ¼ tsp fine sea salt and leave them while you prepare everything else (about 10 minutes).
- The salt draws out excess juice so the bread doesn't turn soggy.
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Ready when: Beads of juice appear on the tomato surface.
Tip: Don't salt the tomatoes more heavily. The tuna, olives, and anchovies add plenty of salt.
Make the vinaigrette
- Mince one half of the garlic clove very finely and put it in a small bowl.
- Add the 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil, 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar, and ¼ tsp pepper.
- Whisk with a fork for 20 seconds.
- Keep the other garlic half intact for rubbing the bread.
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Ready when: The dressing looks cloudy and slightly thickened.
Slice the vegetables
- Slice the radishes and red onion paper-thin, ideally about 1/16 inch (1–2 mm), using a sharp knife or a mandoline.
- Pit the olives if needed and halve them.
- Pull the basil leaves from the stems.
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Ready when: Radish slices are thin enough to bend slightly without snapping.
Tip: Thin slices lie flat and stay in the sandwich. Thick ones slide out when you bite.
Dress the tuna
- Put the well-drained tuna in a medium bowl and break it into chunky flakes with a fork.
- Add the olives, the capers if using, and 1 tbsp of the vinaigrette.
- Toss gently so the tuna stays in pieces rather than turning to paste.
- Taste and add a little pepper if you like.
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Ready when: The tuna is in chunks about the size of a hazelnut, lightly glossy with dressing.
Tip: Drain the tuna thoroughly. Extra can oil makes the filling greasy.
Prepare the rolls
- Cut each roll in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
- Pull out some of the soft crumb from each half, leaving a shell about ½ inch (1 cm) thick, to make room for the filling.
- Rub the cut sides lightly with the reserved garlic half.
- Brush or spoon the remaining vinaigrette evenly over the cut sides of all 8 halves, using a little more on the bottoms.
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Ready when: The cut surfaces look glossy and slightly darkened with oil, but not dripping.
Tip: Stir the vinaigrette again before brushing, since the oil and vinegar separate quickly.
Assemble the sandwiches
- Pat the tomato slices lightly with a paper towel.
- On each roll bottom, layer the tomato slices, then the radishes and red onion.
- Spoon on the tuna-olive mixture, lay 2 anchovy fillets over each, and finish with the basil leaves.
- Close the sandwiches and press down firmly with your palm.
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Ready when: Each sandwich is tightly packed and the top sits level on the filling.
Tip: Put the tomato directly on the bread and the basil at the top so the tomato is the first layer to soak in.
Wrap tightly
- Wrap each sandwich snugly in plastic wrap or parchment, pulling the wrapping tight and tucking the ends underneath so the sandwich keeps its compact shape.
- Tie with kitchen string if you're using parchment.
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Ready when: The wrapping is taut and the sandwich doesn't bulge at the sides.
Press and rest
- Place the wrapped sandwiches on a rimmed tray in the fridge and set a second tray or board on top.
- Add the weight (3–4 lb / 1.5–2 kg), such as a cast-iron skillet or full cans, evenly across the top.
- Press for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for a deeper flavor and softer crumb.
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Ready when: Sandwiches are visibly flattened by about one-third, and the bottom crumb is moist and slightly translucent with oil.
Tip: The crust should stay chewy, not soggy. If the bread feels wet after pressing, you used too many juicy tomatoes or didn't drain them well.
Slice and serve
- Unwrap the sandwiches.
- Cut each in half with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion so the filling stays inside.
- Serve cool or at room temperature.
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Ready when: The cut face shows distinct layers, held together by the oil-soaked crumb.
Tip: For picnics, leave them wrapped until you're ready to eat.
Good to know
Tips
- Choose bread with a thick crust and a chewy interior. It must hold up to oil and tomato juice without falling apart.
- Scoop out some crumb from the rolls. It makes room for more filling and keeps the bread-to-filling balance right.
- Press gently but firmly. The aim is to compact the layers, not squash the sandwich flat.
- For a more traditional sandwich, add sliced hard-boiled egg or thin strips of green pepper, and leave out the radishes.
Make ahead
Assemble, wrap, and press up to 8 hours ahead, and keep refrigerated. Pan bagnat is better after a few hours of rest. Take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving so the olive oil loosens.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours (1 hour if above 85°F / 30°C). Fridge: wrapped tightly, up to 24 hours, though the bread softens steadily. Freezing isn't recommended because the tomatoes and radishes turn watery. Serve cold or at room temperature. Don't reheat.
Substitutions
- oil-packed anchovy fillets → Extra capers (another 1 tbsp / 10 g) or 2 tbsp chopped olives. Provides a similar briny, salty accent without the anchovy flavor.
- round country rolls → One 12-oz (340 g) round loaf, cut into 4 wedges. Slice the loaf in half horizontally, fill, press, then cut into 4 wedges. Press for the same time.
- olive oil-packed tuna → Good-quality water-packed tuna with 1 extra tbsp (15 ml) olive oil. Drain it very well and add the oil to the filling so it doesn't taste dry.
- small red onion → Thinly sliced spring onion (scallion). A milder, fresher onion flavor.