Pan Bagna
Courtesy of Martha Stewart
In the Provencal dialect, “pan bagna” means “moist bread.” In this lightened version of the classic Mediterranean sandwich made with hollowed out bread.
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 pounds fresh tuna
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 large cloves garlic, smashed
- 3/4 to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 sprigs lemon thyme, (or plain thyme plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 loaf Italian or country bread with crust that is not too heavy
- 1 large clove garlic, halved
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
- 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
- 8 anchovy fillets, drained
- 1 small roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 12 basil leaves
- 12 oil-cured black olives, pitted and minced
Preparation
Poach tuna in oil: Season tuna with salt and pepper. Place in a saucepan with garlic and enough oil to just cover. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook over low heat until the fish is opaque, about 10 minutes. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat, and add lemon thyme and bay leaves. Let stand until room temperature. Use immediately, or transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
To make Pan Bagna: Halve bread horizontally. Pull out the soft interior, to within 1-inch of the crust; discard interior or reserve for another use. Rub the inside of bread all over with garlic, then drizzle with oil and vinegar.
Cover the bottom half of the bread with onion and tomato slices. Top with anchovies and pepper strips. Evenly distribute tuna and basil.
Spread the top half of bread with minced olives, and place it olive-side down over filled bottom half. Wrap in plastic wrap. Place on a large plate, and top with a second plate. Weight with several heavy cans. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, cut into 6 to 8 wedges or slices.
