The pan bagnat is a delicious tuna sandwich originating from Nice, where you can buy it in one of the many kiosks scattered in the most characteristic places of the city, perhaps to enjoy it on a bench by the sea along the Promenade des Anglais, or while strolling through the flower market, or in one of the other charming locations on the French Riviera… A principal element of Provençal street-food, the pan bagnat consists of a fragrant loaf stuffed with tuna, hard-boiled egg, anchovies, tomatoes, peppers, anchovies, and olives (plus various others)… a true triumph of Mediterranean flavors, capturing the essence of Provençal cuisine in every bite.
In the original pan bagnat recipe from Nice, a characteristic round and crunchy French bread from the area is used, which I replaced with a ciabattina; otherwise, I stuck to my memories of a fairly recent trip. The simplicity of preparing pan bagnat makes it perfect for a practical and quick lunch break. You can prepare it in advance and take it with you for a delicious and nutritious meal, perhaps by the sea!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: French
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 495.02 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 52.52 (g) of which sugars 4.60 (g)
- Proteins 23.91 (g)
- Fat 20.81 (g) of which saturated 3.33 (g)of which unsaturated 6.16 (g)
- Fibers 3.95 (g)
- Sodium 949.39 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 230 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 4 pan bagnat
- 4 ciabatta-style bread (for me gluten-free)
- 3/4 cup tomatoes
- 5 oz tuna in olive oil (drained weight)
- 1/4 cup peppers (raw)
- 1.5 oz red onion
- 4 anchovies in oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp capers in salt
- 10 Niçoise black olives
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- A few leaves basil
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bowl
- Aluminum
How to prepare Pan Bagnat from Nice
To prepare the pan bagnat, start by boiling the eggs: put them in a small pot of cold water and cook for 8 minutes from when the water starts to boil. Drain them and immediately immerse them in cold water, allowing them to cool completely for a few minutes, making them easier to peel.
Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes well and cut them into wedges (1). Also wash the pepper and cut it into very thin strips (2), do the same with the onion (3).
Drain the anchovies well and cut them into very small pieces (4). Desalt the capers and chop them roughly (5); pit the olives and chop them too (6).
Put all these ingredients in a bowl, add the basil, a pinch of salt, the oil, the vinegar, and mix well (7). Take the rolls and open them in half, removing the excess crumb.
Rub the two halves with a peeled garlic clove (8), then soak them well with the oil and vinegar you used to dress the tomatoes (9).
Drain the tuna well and add it to the tomatoes and other vegetables (10), mix and divide the filling among the four rolls (11), letting the remaining oil and vinegar in the bowl fall inside.
Peel the hard-boiled egg and cut it into fairly thin slices – for a perfect result you can use an egg slicer – and distribute the slices over the tuna (12).
Cover with the other half of the ciabatta, press lightly and wrap the sandwiches in aluminum foil; let the pan bagnat rest in the fridge for at least half an hour before enjoying it, so that the bread absorbs the dressing well.
Storage
The pan bagnat keeps well in the fridge until the next day, wrapped in a sheet of aluminum foil.
Tips and Variations
As previously mentioned, the pan bagnat is a highly customizable sandwich: for example, you can add lettuce leaves or thinly sliced cucumbers, or omit some ingredient you don’t have at home or that you don’t like. What should never be missing are surely tuna, tomatoes, onions, oil, and vinegar.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Where to eat Pan Bagnat in Nice?
Being a typical street-food of the city, you can find it everywhere. Among the best, I recommend the one enjoyed near the port (at “La Gratta”, on boulevard Stalingrad) and the one served in the market stalls of Cour Saleya.
