Tunisian Tuna Panini with Olives and Capers
Oil-packed tuna is tossed with briny green olives, capers, preserved lemon and fiery harissa, then bulked up with soft potato and hard-boiled egg in the style of Tunisian tuna sandwiches. It's pressed in a soft roll until crisp outside and warm and savory inside.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Wait
- 12 min
- Total
- 1 hr 2 min
- Makes
- 4 paninis
Steps
Before you start
- Set up an ice bath (a large bowl of cold water and plenty of ice) before you boil the eggs.
- Chop the olives, capers, preserved lemon and parsley while the eggs and potato boil. The 62-minute total assumes you do this.
- Rinse the preserved lemon under cold water and discard the pulp. Only the rind goes into the filling. This keeps the filling from being too salty.
- Harissa brands vary a lot in heat. Start with the amount listed, taste the filling, and add more only if you want it hotter.
Boil eggs and potato
- Put the 3 eggs in a 3-quart (3 L) saucepan, cover with about 2 inches (5 cm) of cold water and add the ½ tsp salt.
- Bring to a full boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, gently add the potato cubes and reduce the heat so the water keeps a steady simmer.
- Cook for 10 minutes.
- The potato should be tender enough to slide off a knife tip with no resistance, but still hold its shape.
- Use this time to chop the olives, capers, preserved lemon and parsley.
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Ready when: Potato cubes are tender when pierced but not crumbling; eggs have simmered 10 minutes
Tip: Set a timer as soon as the potato goes in. Eggs boiled longer than 12 minutes get a gray-green ring around the yolk.
Cool eggs and potato
- Lift the eggs out with a slotted spoon and drop them into the ice bath.
- Drain the potato in a colander and spread it on a plate to steam off and cool.
- Leave both for 10 minutes.
- Then crack and peel the eggs under a thin stream of cold water.
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Ready when: Eggs feel cool to the touch and the shells peel away easily; potato is no longer steaming
Tip: Warm potato will turn pasty when mixed. Make sure it is fully cooled.
Prepare the flavorings
- On a cutting board, roughly chop the 65 g green olives into pieces about ¼ inch (6 mm) wide.
- Rinse and drain the capers.
- Rinse the preserved lemon, scrape away and discard the pulp, then finely chop the rind into pieces about 1/8 inch (3 mm).
- Finely chop the parsley.
- Pile everything into a medium mixing bowl.
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Ready when: Olives and lemon rind are in small, even pieces so every bite has a little of each
Tip: Do this while the eggs and potato cook or cool so it doesn't add to your total time.
Mix the tuna base
- Add the well-drained, flaked tuna to the bowl.
- Add 1 tbsp of the harissa, 1 tbsp of the olive oil, the lemon juice, the cumin and several grinds of black pepper.
- Stir with a fork until the tuna is evenly coated in red-orange and no streaks of harissa remain.
- Taste a small spoonful.
- It should taste bright, briny and pleasantly spicy.
- Add a little more harissa if you want more heat, but don't add salt yet.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly colored and holds together when pressed with the fork
Tip: The olives, capers, tuna and preserved lemon are all salty, so taste before adding any salt. Most batches won't need any.
Fold in egg and potato
- Chop the peeled eggs into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces and add them to the bowl with the cooled potato cubes.
- Fold gently with a rubber spatula 8 to 10 times, just until combined.
- Lightly press a few potato cubes against the side of the bowl to break them up.
- This helps bind the filling.
- You should have about 3 cups (700 g) of chunky filling.
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Ready when: Filling is chunky and scoopable, with distinct pieces of egg and potato
Tip: Fold gently. Over-mixing turns the filling into paste and the egg yolk will turn it pale and mushy.
Prepare the rolls
- Open each roll like a book.
- Spread ¼ tbsp (about 1 tsp) of the remaining harissa on the inside of each roll's bottom half.
- Brush the outsides of the tops and bottoms lightly with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil.
- This helps the crust brown and crisp.
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Ready when: Cut sides have a thin layer of harissa and the outside crusts glisten with oil
Tip: Use a thin layer of harissa. Too much will scorch in the press and taste bitter.
Fill the rolls
- Divide the filling evenly among the four rolls, about ¾ cup (175 g) each, spooning it onto the bottom half and pressing it down gently to form an even layer.
- Close the rolls and press down with your palm to compact them slightly.
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Ready when: Filling reaches the edges of the roll without spilling out
Tip: Tuck in any pieces that stick out of the sides so they don't burn on the hot surface.
Preheat the press
- Heat a panini press to medium-high, or heat a 12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes.
- A drop of water should sizzle and evaporate within a couple of seconds.
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Ready when: A drop of water sizzles and evaporates within 2 seconds
Press the paninis
- Cook in two batches of two.
- In a press, close the lid gently and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
- In a skillet, place two sandwiches in the pan, set a second heavy skillet (or a foil-wrapped brick) on top, and cook for 4 minutes.
- Remove the weight, flip, weight again and cook 3 to 4 minutes more.
- The crust should be deep golden with toasted marks and the sandwiches should feel firm and noticeably flatter, about 1½ inches (4 cm) thick.
- Repeat with the remaining two.
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Ready when: Crust is deep golden brown and crisp when tapped; filling is hot in the center
Tip: If the crust browns before the center is hot, lower the heat slightly and add 1 minute per side.
Rest and serve
- Move the paninis to a cutting board and let them rest for 2 minutes.
- This lets the filling settle so it doesn't squeeze out when you cut.
- Slice each in half on the diagonal with a serrated knife, using a gentle sawing motion, and serve warm.
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Ready when: Sandwich holds together when cut and the filling is hot but not runny
Tip: Serve with extra harissa on the side for anyone who wants more heat.
Good to know
Tips
- Drain the tuna very well. Excess oil makes the filling greasy and the bread soggy.
- Use rolls that are soft inside and have a thin crust. They flatten evenly and brown without turning hard.
- Press gently, especially at the start. Heavy pressure squeezes the filling out the sides.
- Try adding a few thin slices of ripe tomato or a handful of arugula after pressing for freshness and crunch.
Make ahead
"The filling can be made up to 24 hours ahead. Cover it and refrigerate. Assemble and press the rolls just before serving, adding 1 minute per side because the filling will be cold."
Storage & reheating
"Pressed paninis are best eaten right away. Wrap leftovers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until hot in the center. The unpressed filling keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Don't freeze. The potato and egg turn grainy and watery when thawed. Don't leave the filling at room temperature for more than 2 hours."
Substitutions
- preserved lemon → 1 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest plus an extra pinch of salt. You'll lose the mellow, fermented flavor, but you still get citrus brightness.
- harissa paste → 1 tbsp tomato paste mixed with ½ tsp hot paprika or red pepper flakes. Use the same total amount and adjust for heat to taste.
- soft sandwich rolls, about 6 inches (15 cm) long → 4 small ciabatta rolls or 4 pieces of baguette, each about 6 inches (15 cm) long. Choose bread with a soft crumb so it flattens nicely in the press. Very crusty bread can shred the roof of your mouth.
- pitted green olives → pitted black or Kalamata olives. The flavor will be fruitier and slightly less sharp.