Pan Bagnat

° Serves 4

Pan bagnat translates as “bathed bread.” This sandwich is a specialty of Provence and tastes great with a cold rosé wine from that region. It makes an ideal summer lunch. You can make individual pan bagnat or one large one, as I’ve done here.

My filling consists of sliced tomato, avocado, and tuna, but you can use a different combination. With olive oil as the one standard ingredient, other popular additions include anchovy fillets, olives, peppers, and sardines. The sandwich can be assembled the night before, wrapped, and refrigerated, with a 2- to 3-pound weight on top to make it hold together well when sliced.

• 1 avocado (7 to 8 ounces)
• 1 round or oval loaf French- or Italian-style bread (1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil, flat-leaf parsley, or chervil (optional)
• 6 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 ripe tomatoes (about 10 ounces total), cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• One 5-ounce can tuna in olive oil

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh; rinse under cold water to prevent discoloration. Cut the flesh into slices.

Cut the loaf of bread horizontally in half and sprinkle the cut sides with the basil, olive oil, and vinegar. Arrange the tomato slices on the bottom half of the loaf and sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Cover with the avocado slices and the tuna, crumbling it over the bread, and sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper on top. Position the top half of the loaf over the filling, wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap or a plastic bag, and refrigerate with a 2- to 3-pound weight on top for a few hours or as long as overnight.

At serving time, cut the sandwich into wedges.