Italian Picnic Sandwich “Tuna Pag Bagnat”

This sandwich takes forever to make, but you have to try Samin Nosrat’s if you haven’t. And you must use a fresh high quality tuna steak, not canned tuna. However, this is the best (and messiest) sandwich that you will ever eat in your life. And it is so worth it…

 

Tuna Steak Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups Canola/Coconut oil mix

  • 1 marinated roasted red bell pepper

  • 2 bay leaves – tear

  • 1 lemon rind

  • Lemon juice

  • 4 garlic cloves – crushed

  • 1 tsp black peppercorns

  • 1 large tuna steak – cut in half lengthwise

 

Aoili Ingredients:

  • 1 egg yolk – at room temperature

  • ¾ cup olive oil

  • 4 tsp lemon juice

  • 1 garlic clove – grated

  • Pinch of salt

 

Sandwich Ingredients:

  • Crusty bread

  • Boiled eggs – sliced thin

  • Ripe tomatoes – sliced thin

  • Cucumbers – sliced thin

  • Basil leaves

  • Capers – drained/rinsed

  • Olives (Kalamata or Nicoise) – pitted

 

Tuna Steak Directions:

  1. Rinse tuna steak, then pat dry with paper towel.

  2. Spritz tuna steak with lemon juice and cut tuna in half lengthwise.

  3. Cover both sides with kosher salt and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 min.

  4. In a dutch oven, combine oil, bell pepper, lemon rind, garlic, and peppercorns.

  5. Heat uncovered on low (#3) for 15 min or until oil surface temp reaches 180F in order to infuse the oil.

  6. Turn heat down to the lowest setting until oil cools to 150F surface temp.

  7. Add tuna to the infused oil and make sure the oil covers the tuna completely, then cover with lid and cook tuna for 8 min.

  8. When internal temp of tuna has reached 145F, remove from the stove and let cool.

  9. Store tuna in the fridge in the infused oil for up to 2 weeks.

 

Aoili Directions:

  1. Place the egg yolk in a hand immersion blender bowl, then very slowly add oil

  2. Add garlic and lemon juice (with a large pinch of salt dissolved in the lemon juice)

  3. When blended, refrigerate until ready for use

 

Sandwich Directions:

  1. Dip the top piece of the bread in the tuna oil

  2. Cover the bottom piece of the bread with the aioli

  3. Layer the tuna, boiled eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, basil leaves, capers, and olives on the bread

  4. Wrap the sandwich tightly in saran wrap or Glad Press ‘n Seal

  5. Place a heavy object on top of it (such as a cast iron skillet) and leave for 2 hours at room temp

Written by:
Dr. Terra Caudill

Photo Credit:
Dr. Terra Caudill

Original Recipe:
Tuna Confit in “Salt Fat Acid Heat” by Samin Nosrat

 

RecipesTerra CaudillTuna, Seafood, Sandwich