This typical sandwich from Nice is a favorite lunch in Provence that people grab along the way to work or the beach. It’s not as well-known as the lovely Niçoise Salad, yet it embraces all its components between a bun. You can find it in most bakeries in Provence, where they often bake custom round buns for it.
A pan bagnat, meaning “bathed bread,” is all about the “juice.” The bread is first brushed with extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar so it becomes drenched for a tender chew. The assembled sandwich should then rest for two hours, for the bread to soak up the juices from the tomatoes and for all the flavors to blend beautifully.
Rules for the pan bagnat are quite strict—no ham, cheese or mustard!—but allow for a few add-ons, such as green onions, radishes or mesclun, a Provençal mix of young greens found in North America as Spring Mix.
SERVES 4 / MAKES 4 SANDWICHES
4 round ciabatta buns
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
½ can green fava beans (9.5 oz [270 g])
4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced into rings
2 green bell peppers, seeded and sliced
4 artichoke hearts, quartered (cooked, marinated or grilled)
4 large eggs, hard-boiled and sliced
16 black olives, pitted
1 can anchovy fillets, drained (12 fillets)
1 (5-oz [140-g]) can flaked tuna in oil or spring water, drained
16 fresh basil leaves
1 lemon, juiced
With a serrated bread knife, slice the buns in half horizontally. Remove some of the inside crumb to create more room for the fillings. Brush the garlic clove inside each sandwich bun, on both sides.
In a small bowl, whisk the extra-virgin olive oil with the red wine vinegar, salt and ground pepper. Brush a heaping tablespoon (15 ml) of the mixture inside each bun.
Drain the can of green fava beans. Now, place these ingredients in each bun, in the following order: 3 or 4 tomato slices, 6 or 7 green bell pepper slices, 4 artichoke quarters, 1 sliced egg, a handful of green fava beans, 4 black olives, 3 anchovy fillets, a heavy sprinkle of tuna (¼ of the can) and 4 basil leaves. Sprinkle with some lemon juice, and close the sandwiches.
Wrap the sandwiches tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours before enjoying.