Recipe: Pan Bagnat with Tuna, Tomatoes and Olives

Serves 4

Dressing:

- 2 ½ tablespoons red-wine vinegar

- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 ½ teaspoons anchovy paste

- ½ teaspoon sugar

- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Sandwich:

- 1 can (7 ounces) good-quality tuna packed in water

- 2 large tomatoes, cut into thick slices

- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

- 4 radishes, trimmed, scrubbed and thinly sliced

- 16 pitted Kalamata olives, flattened

- ¼ sweet onion, thinly sliced

- 16 basil leaves

1. To prepare dressing: Whisk together vinegar, capers, garlic, anchovy paste and sugar. Slowly whisk in olive oil until blended.

2. To prepare sandwich: Drain tuna and use a fork to break up into small chunks; set aside. Drizzle dressing on cut sides of roll, saving some to drizzle on filling. On the bottom half of each roll, place a layer of tomatoes, salting them lightly. Add sliced radishes, a quarter of the remaining tuna followed by a drizzle of the remaining dressing, 4 olives, a little onion and 4 basil leaves.

3. Top each sandwich with tops of rolls, and press down. If time allows, wrap sandwiches in plastic wrap and place on a plate. Place a heavy skillet on top and press in refrigerator 2 hours. The resulting sandwich should be moist, but not so much that the bottom crust is soaked through.

From "Picnics: Delicious Recipes for Outdoor Entertaining" by Sara Deseran