Nicoise ~ Pan Bagnat ~ What's in a Name?

Pan Bagnat is a sandwich that is a speciality of the region of Nice, France. It is composed of a circle formed white bread around the classic Salade Niçoise. The name of the sandwich comes from the local Provençal dialect of Niçard, in which Pan-bagnat means "wet bread". It is often misspelled "pain bagnat" which, while correct in French, is not the spelling used in Niçard. This is one of my favorite sandwiches (I know, I always say that). Here's how to make it:

Ingrédients

1/4 of a white onion, thinly sliced
1/8 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbls extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling* (See notes)
1 tbls red-wine vinegar, plus additional to taste
1/4 tsp salt, plus additional to taste
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1 (6-ounce) can tuna packed in olive oil, including olive oil
lemon juice to taste
2 kaiser rolls, plain
lettuce leaves, combination of Boston, green-leaf, or other leafy lettuce
8 tomato slices
6-8 hard-boiled eggs slices
4 anchovy fillets, drained
Niçoise olives
scallions, chopped
radishes, sliced
Assemblée

• Combine the red and white onion with 2 tbls extra-virgin olive oil,1 tbls red-wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt, and several grinds of black pepper in a bowl.
• Use your hands, mix & squeeze everything together for 5 minutes. (Don't rush this part, the onions need time to release their juices and mellow.)
• Work in can of tuna, including the oil. Season with fresh lemon juice, red-wine vinegar, & salt, then add pepper to taste.
• Cut kaiser rolls in half crosswise and spread each bottom half with lettuce leaves.
• On top of each lettuce layer, arrange 4 tomato slices. Then add about half the tuna mixture and 3 to 4 slices of hard-boiled egg.
• Crisscross each sandwich with 2 drained anchovy fillets & strew with Niçoise olives (pit them if desired), chopped scallion greens, & sliced radishes. Drizzle generously with more olive oil and top with the remaining kaiser halves, pressing gently but firmly.
* Note: This tuna sandwich is all about olive oil. Use French Olive Oil if possible; otherwise, any mild olive oil will do. Voilà..... Bon appétit