Pan Bagnat

By Mark Bittman

Published August 16, 2014

  • Sam Kaplan for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
10 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration
Rating
4(85)
Comments
Read comments

Grab-and-go offerings of picnicky food are almost universally mediocre and exasperatingly expensive. Resist the temptation to outsource and make your own. This recipe is built to last. You can make it a day or two ahead of time, or leave it out on the counter if you're going to eat this sandwich within a few hours of making it.

Featured in: The Best Picnics Are Made at Home

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

  • large loaf of crusty bread

  • sliced tomatoes

  • roasted red peppers

  • marinated artichoke hearts

  • red onion

  • olives

  • capers

  • basil leaves

  • anchovies

  • oil-packed tuna or grilled chicken

  • salt and pepper

  • red- or white-wine vinegar

  • olive oil.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Halve a large loaf of crusty bread horizontally, and remove some of the crumb from each half to make it slightly hollow.

  2. Step 2

    Build the sandwich, layering on sliced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, red onion, olives, capers, basil leaves and anchovies (if you like them).

  3. Step 3

    Oil-packed tuna is classic; grilled chicken is also good. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with red- or white-wine vinegar and douse with olive oil.

  4. Step 4

    Close the sandwich, wrap well in aluminum foil and weight it down with something heavy (a skillet, a milk jug, a rock, a brick, whatever).

  5. Step 5

    Refrigerate overnight or for up to 24 hours. Cut into pieces, and serve.

Tip

  • For more on the pan bagnat, check out this video from Melissa Clark.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
85 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Dan

Served 24 hours after making it, it was excellent. Tried the leftovers for lunch the following day, but the magic was gone. Definitely finish it in one sitting!

Angie

No success. Used my cast-iron skillet to weigh it down. Ended up with a soggy mess. Had to transfer all ingredients to fresh bread. Not sure what I did wrong.

amy

Fabulous! I just used tuna in water. Everyone loved it! We ate it two days in a row!

Dan

Served 24 hours after making it, it was excellent. Tried the leftovers for lunch the following day, but the magic was gone. Definitely finish it in one sitting!

Private comments are only visible to you.

or to save this recipe.