Pan Bagnat is a typical sandwich from Nice, the name means wet bread. 
Larousse Gastronomique, which is the bible for the French cuisine, suggests that the Pan Bagnat originate from the salad nicoise served on stale bread.
In Italy, many of the stale bread recipes originate from fishermen or shepherds who would spend many days away at sea or in the fileds and couldn't get fresh bread.
The stale bread had to be wet to become soft again, so the Pan Bagnat is originally wet with the juice from the tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil
The rest of the ingredients are typical of the region: tuna, anchovies, olives and seasonal fresh vegetables like cucumbers, onions, radishes, peppers and celery.
Pan Bagnat is very common here in the region, not only as a street food sandwich but also served as a starter, at buffets and even at Michelin Star restaurants.
To slice all my vegetables I use the KitchenAid MVSA Rotor Vegetable Slicer and Shredder . (Amzon affiliate link)
I keep them in the fridge in plastic containers and use them the next day.
Sandwich
French
picnic, Sandwich, Traditional French
- 1
loaf
Sourdough bread
(French bread) - 2
boiled eggs - 1
can
tuna preserved in olive oil
(I buy it in the glass container) - 3
tomatoes - 2
stalks
celery
(finely sliced) - 1/4
cup
sliced radishes - 1/4
sliced red onions - 1/2
pepper sliced - 4
anchovies preserved in salt
(cleaned and deboned) - 10
olives nicoise
(deboned) - 5
leaves
basil - 1/3
cup
extra virgin olive oil - 2
tbsp
red vinegar
Prepare all the ingredients: debone the olives, clean and debone the anchovies, drain the tuna from the oil, boil the eggs and cut them into slices
Slice all the vegetables and cut the tomatoes collecting all the juice
Cut the bread in half and remove the inside of the bread from both halves.
Sprinkle both sides with abundant extra virgin olive oil
Pour over the bread the juice from the tomatoes
First, lay over the bread the slices of the tomatoes
The lay the rest of the vegetables
Continue with the rest of the ingredients: tuna, anchovies, eggs, olives and basil
Sprinkle with the red vinegar
Cover with the top of the bread and cut into 8 portions to serve
Recipe Video
Calories 292 calories per serving
Fat 14 gr per serving
Carbohydrates 27 gr per serving
Proteins 15 gr per serving
Sugar 1 gr per serving
Sodium 512 mg per serving
Nutritional information is provided for general purpose only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely.
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I enjoy learning about new foods from different cultures and places. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I love your step by step photos in how to prepare the sandwich! 🙂
Thank you Angela, I love to research the origins of traditional food
Wow Laura, your pan bagnat is calling my name, I’d love to make me one right now. I don’t put so many ingredients in mine but you gave me ideas. You made me crave for Summer at the beach and a pan bagnat for lunch!
I’ll tell you Patty, it was delicious. Need to make more often
This is one of my favorite sandwiches! I love your step by step photos! So helpful!
Thank you