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Tuna pan bagnat

Name: Tuna pan bagnat
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 x 40cm crusty baguettes; 185g can good-quality tuna in olive oil, drained (oil reserved); 12 small black olives; 80g rocket or butter lettuce leaves; 2 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced; 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced; 4 whole marinated artichoke hearts, thickly sliced; 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, sliced; 4 anchovy fillets, cut into strips; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 garlic clove, crushed

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by Jill Dupleix

Food writer

Oct 03, 2015

The best picnic food comes in its own package and doesn't need plates, bowls or cutlery. Enter the Provençale pan bagnat ('bathed bread'), adored by Parisians (and everyone else) for its summery south-of-France flavours.

2 x 40cm crusty baguettes
185g can good-quality tuna in olive oil, drained (oil reserved)
12 small black olives
80g rocket or butter lettuce leaves
2 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 whole marinated artichoke hearts, thickly sliced
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, sliced
4 anchovy fillets, cut into strips

Dressing

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed

Method

1.

Cut each baguette in half, then split from side to side and tunnel out some of the bread from the centre. Brush the insides with a little of the reserved tuna oil. Pit the olives by pressing down on them with the flat side of a large knife, as if you're crushing garlic cloves. The stones will magically work their way out of the flesh.
2.

For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients and a dash of reserved tuna oil in a large bowl. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3.

Toss the rocket or lettuce, tomato and onion in the dressing. Layer the leaves, tomato and onion on the bottom halves of the baguettes, then top with tuna, artichokes, egg, anchovies and olives. Replace the top halves of baguettes, then tightly wrap the rolls in plastic wrap.
4.

At the picnic, cut each roll into 2 or 3 pieces, then discard the plastic wrap and serve.