Pan Bagnat, meaning "wet bread" in French, is a beloved Provençal sandwich. The soft crumb soaks up rich olive oil and is filled with fresh onion, anchovies, minced celery, black olives, and more.
For extra depth, spread the crumb with anchovy purée before filling—use a round loaf for authenticity.
Difficulty: 2/5
Slice the bread in half without fully separating the halves. Remove two-thirds of the crumb. Peel and rub the garlic clove into the remaining crumb, then drizzle with olive oil. Set aside.
Wash and dry the tomato, cutting it into thick slices. Peel the onion and slice crosswise into even rings, separating them. Slice the hard-boiled egg. Drain and pat dry the anchovy fillets. Pit the olives and squeeze the lemon for juice.
Whisk a vinaigrette with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped tarragon or parsley.
Layer the bread with tomato and onion rings, egg slices, anchovies, and olives. Drizzle with vinaigrette and close the sandwich.
Originally from Nice, Pan Bagnat evolved from a Niçoise salad using stale bread rubbed with garlic. Feel free to add bell pepper, tuna, or basil for variation.
