Pan Bagnat: The Pressed Niçoise Picnic Loaf

• 1large round country loaf (about 800g–1kg, sourdough or pain de campagne)
• 4 tbspextra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbspred wine vinegar
• 1fat garlic clove, halved
• flaky salt and black pepper
• 2 x 160gtins good tuna in olive oil, drained
• 4large eggs, hard-boiled
• 8anchovy fillets in oil, drained
• 100 gblack Niçoise or Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 2 tbspbaby capers, drained
• 300 gripe vine tomatoes
• 1small cucumber (about 200g)
• 1small red onion
• 1small red pepper (optional, traditional) (optional)
• 30 gfresh basil leaves
• 2 tbspextra virgin olive oil (for the layers)
• 1 tbspred wine vinegar (for the layers)

Method

1. 1Hard-boil the eggs first so they have time to cool. Lower them into already-boiling water and cook for 9 minutes; that gives a fully set yolk that won't smear into the bread overnight. Drain, crack the shells all over, and sit them in cold water until cool, then peel and slice into rounds.
2. 2Slice the tomatoes about 5mm thick and lay them on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Season them generously with flaky salt and leave for 10 minutes; pan bagnat lives or dies on tomato wetness, and you want the juices drawn out onto the paper, not soaking through your loaf by morning.
3. 3Slice the cucumber thinly, the red onion into fine half-moons, and the red pepper (if using) into thin strips. Tear the basil leaves at the last minute so they don't blacken.
4. 4Slice the top third off the loaf like a lid; keep it intact. Pull out the soft inside crumb from both halves, leaving a wall about 1.5cm thick all round. You want a sturdy bread shell that won't collapse under pressure; save the crumb for breadcrumbs another day.
5. 5Rub the cut garlic clove all over the inside of both halves; the rough crumb acts like a grater and you'll smell it instantly. Whisk the 4 tbsp olive oil with the 2 tbsp red wine vinegar and a good pinch of salt, then drizzle generously over the inside of both halves. The bread should look damp but not waterlogged; that splash of vinegar is what cuts the richness of the tuna and anchovy once everything has pressed together overnight.
6. 6Now layer, pressing each layer down firmly as you go. Start with the tomatoes on the base (their job is to feed flavour upward, not pool at the bottom). Then cucumber, then red onion, then red pepper if using. Scatter half the basil.
7. 7Flake the tuna across the next layer and press down. Lay the egg slices over the tuna, then drape the anchovies in a rough lattice; they bring most of the salt the sandwich needs, so taste a sliver of anchovy first and adjust your seasoning from there. Scatter the olives, capers and remaining basil. Drizzle the extra 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar over the top with a generous crack of black pepper. Taste a corner of tomato with a flake of tuna; season now, not at the picnic.
8. 8Press the lid on firmly. Wrap the whole loaf tightly in two layers of cling film, then again in foil; tight is the operative word, you want it bandaged, not parcelled.
9. 9Sit the wrapped loaf on a plate in the fridge and weight it down with something heavy and flat; a chopping board topped with a couple of tins, or a heavy cast-iron pan. Press for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight. The pressing is the aim: it forces the dressing into the crumb and compacts the layers into something you can slice cleanly. The vinegar in the dressing is doing the acid work here; no finishing squeeze needed once it's pressed.
10. 10Keep the loaf refrigerated until serving or transport it in a cool bag with ice packs. Unwrap and cut into six wedges with a serrated knife, sawing gently so the pressed layers stay intact.

Per serving

kcal

664

protein

30.8g

fibre

6.2g

carbs

85g

fat

25.3g