Pan Bagnat
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:2 to 3 servings
- 2anchovy fillets, minced (optional)
- 1very small garlic clove, minced
- 1teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ½teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 18-inch round crusty country loaf or small ciabatta, halved
- 1Kirby cucumber or ½ regular cucumber
- 1medium-size, ripe tomato, sliced
- ½small red onion, sliced
- 1jar (5 to 6 ounces) tuna packed in olive oil, drained
- 8large basil leaves
- 2tablespoons sliced pitted olives, preferably a mix of black and green
- 1hard-cooked egg, peeled and thinly sliced
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (3 servings)
270 calories; 16 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 479 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the optional anchovies, the garlic, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking constantly.
- Step 2
If using a country loaf, pull out some soft interior crumb to form a cavity. If using a ciabatta, you won't need to eliminate anything.
- Step 3
If using a Kirby cucumber, slice thinly. If using a regular cucumber, peel, halve lengthwise, and scoop out seeds from one half. Thinly slice seedless half. Add sliced cucumber to vinaigrette and toss well.
- Step 4
Spread half the cucumbers on bottom of bread. Top with tomato and onion slices, then with tuna, basil, olives and egg slices. Top egg with remaining cucumbers and vinaigrette. Cover with second bread half and firmly press sandwich together.
- Step 5
Wrap sandwich tightly in foil, waxed paper or plastic wrap, then place in a plastic bag. Put sandwich under a weight such as a cast-iron frying pan topped with a filled kettle, or have a child about 7 years old sit on it. Weight sandwich for 7 to 10 minutes, then flip and weight it for another 7 to 10 minutes (or as long as you can get the child to sit still). Unwrap, slice and serve immediately, or keep it wrapped for up to 8 hours before serving.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
JF EVRARD Nice, France
Absolutely no cucumbers, no garlic, no mustard in a real pan bagnat. Sliced radish, small BLACK olives preferably not pitted , sliced baby artichoke if available , slices of a green bell pepper and of course the rest of the above mentioned ingredients except that the red onion is white, or a spring onion. This is the hyper-genuine recipe from Nice, France
Jane
" have a child about 7 years old sit on it". Hilarious!
FL
I substituted a 3 year old German shepherd for the 7 year old child. Worked beautifully!
Fred
Ciabatta works better than baguette. I have served this after weighting it overnight. Wrapped tightly it hangs together well.
Michael
Great recipe and video. With respect to the comments regarding the disconnect between the video and the recipe, consider her comments. Melissa was specific in her comments that you do not need to hold slavishly to a recipe but simply use it as a guide.
Merle
OK. I kind of like that the choices of ingredients and technique in the video were different from those in the written recipe. The initial description says that a pan bagnet can be made with any vegetables on hand and with different kinds of bread. Seeing two very different versions opened my mind to the range of variations and how to choose items on hand that blend well. Made this a much more useful recipe for me than if it was focused on just one version.
Ejane
Ooh, how about a quality canned salmon, sprinkled with fresh dill and a bit of dilled pickle relish along with the vinegary juice, red peppers thinly sliced, red onion thinly sliced, a cucumber thinly sliced, then finished with sliced tomato, and the top of the bread. Yep, this is the sandwich I shall make.
Judy
Made these last week for a picnic at an outdoor concert. A pan bagnat recipe from a French cook that I'd used previously claims the best bread is the humble kaiser roll. After trying several types of bread & rolls I tend to agree. The crumb absorbs and holds the oil, you can wrap them individually, and they're easy to pass around at a picnic. I arrange them on a platter with a weighted tray on top for 8 minutes, then refrigerate several hours. Great sandwich!
Cindy
This looks so delicious. I will make one next weekend, but as I no longer have any spare seven year old children easily at hand I’ll find another pressing method. Thank you for reminding me of pan bagnat!
nene
I didn't mind that the video was different. shows how randomly creative one can be to make this sandwich... ultimately good bread, good oil, innards and weighing it down is enough for me. ;-)
Thom
This was delicious. Added some capers and finely diced red pepper to the tuna. It's worthwhile to use a sustainably caught, really good quality tuna such as bonito del norte. I also added some shaved manchego.
tis i
yeah, the video and the written recipe are different - the intro to the recipe states that this can be a catchall. i change it up, def more anchovies. sometimes i skip the anchovies and basil, and add spices, harissa, preserved lemon and cilantro instead. water-packed tuna? add A LOT more olive oil to the dressing. search for pan bagnat here, and you'll find another recipe that does things differently. it's a mediterranean pressed tuna sandwich, flexible and tasty - have fun with it.
Judy
I've used fresh tuna poached in olive oil. It is extravagantly delicious!
Steff
- Ciabatta bread works best since not as hard on outside. - Use mixed olives chopped together - Spread olive oil mixture first on both halves of bread. - Add roasted red peppers (from jar) - Add some chopped Italian parsley into olive oil mixture Also reference this recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pan-bagnat-healthyish
Boxplayer
No 7 year old I know will sit still for 7 - 10 minutes without bouncing up and down. Shorten the sitting time?
Eileen from New England
I made this for tailgating at polo last year; very good. I used a bacon press in a cast iron skillet to weight it. It worked beautifully. Mine has changes: I'm not a fan of tomatoes in a sandwich, and last year I left off the anchovies, but I think I'll add them this year. Might use sliced bleu cheese stuffed olives this time. I used Nicoise olives last time.
Maryann
It was good, but way too timid. I would double at least the garlic and anchovies, and add more dijon and red wine vinegar, in the dressing.
Margy Childs
Made this with 8yr old, 6yr old and 3yr old. They had a blast AND ate their dinner while we had neighbors over for Memorial Day gathering. It was lovely! The video inspired the kids, esp the sitting on it :)
jeanie
My absolute favorite sandwich of all time! Reminds me so much of my student days in France. Only addition I make is to add a layer of steamed haricot verts between the cucumber base and the tomato. Use good oil cured black (Moroccan) olives if you can find them. So yummy!
Bazz
This was a very delicious work-from-home lunch. I made it as per the written version (not video) and I loved the addition of the cucumbers in vinaigrette. I used french cured olives and unfancy tuna (TJ's brand packed in water) and went generous with the basil. My only complaint was that after flipping it, a lot of the juices ran underneath which made the top of my ciabatta roll soggy. Next time I would probably only weight it on one side and not bother flipping it.
bojea
I haven’t made a pan bagnat in some time but I have never used tuna. Always made mine vegetarian with eggplant, roasted red peppers, squash, onion, capers, tomatoes. I think I even added cheese. Really doesn’t matter as Melissa says - if the flavors are good together - then riff away. I believe the secret is in the smashing and marinating of all those good things together with your olive oil, Dijon and good quality vinegar sprinkled. So good! Thanks for bringing this to mind again!
Brent
I recommend adding hard boiled egg, also. Delicious!
E. Lasky
We (ages 14 to 48 and of varying tastes) all agreed this was delicious and fun to make. We followed the video recipe pretty closely. We preferred the crunch, flavor, and sweetness of thinly sliced fennel to blander and waterier cucumbers. Used sherry vinegar--liberally!--instead of red wine vinegar: as Melissa says, the tuna needs the acid. The olives were essential, in our opinion, for that salty bite. Didn't have a small child, so we each sat on our own sandwich!
Jess
I absolutely loved the video here: 5/5 stars. Can't wait to make this sandwich for a beach picnic sometime soon!
Steven Merahn
Made a vegan version with plant-based tuna and yellow onion. Fun to make and eat…
sharon
Love this recipe. It's a crowd pleaser every time.
CB
This was so good. Totally riffable based on taste and ingredient availability. Used a baguette and sliced in half so my son could have his way and I could have mine. Also, doubled the mustard vinaigrette ingredients except for oil…because that’s how we do it. Wrapped sandwiches in foil, put them in a roasting pan, put the roasting pan liner on top stacked high with my Dutch oven and many cans.
Linda Martin
On ATK, used no cucumber, had 3 T capers. Mixed dressing, added to onions to let sit for awhile. Onions got a little soft. Also added some wine vinegar to onions after slicing, then added the dressing. Can wrap and weight for an hour.
Emily
I made these with ciabatta rolls. Used zucchini instead of cucumber, sliced and lightly cooked in the microwave. I made a little too much marinade and it oozed outside the sandwiches a bit too much, but otherwise I love this method! I'll make again and experiment with different fillings, and more herbs, spices and more mustard in the marinade. This might be our new trail snack!
E
The instructions in the video are different from the printed instructions. Melissa applies the olive oil directly to the bread. She applies the vinegar directly to the tuna. In the video there is no vinaigrette. No marinating the cucumbers - actually no cucumbers. No combining garlic and anchovies with vinaigrette. etc. I agree with the other comments regarding time. It takes 15 mins to assemble if all the ingredients are fully prepped which will require at least another 20-30 min.
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