“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. . .” James 3:13

Fawn’s Pan Bagnat is an open faced sandwich that would make a quick and excellent lunch.

What is a Pan Bagnat?

A traditional Pan Bagnat is a specialty sandwich from the region of Nice, France.  It is usually composed of the ingredients of a classic Nicoise salad (tuna, tomatoes, potatoes, hard boiled egg, green beans, olives, capers and onions or variations).  This is usually a closed sandwich ( two slices of bread) and never uses mayonnaise.

Where Did I Get this Recipe?

I came up with this recipe from my French Class when I was in High School. . .a long, long time ago.  😂  I took 3 years of French but please do not ask me to speak any because I only remember just enough to be polite if I was in France.  Saying all that, one day my French teacher, Mlle Panai, decided she was going to do a cooking class and she made her rendition of Pan Bagnat.  

I have to tell you, I was not impressed.  First of all, there were raw onions on the sandwich.  I still do not like raw onions.  But I thought, I can remove those from my sandwich.  But then she did the unforgivable, especially to a teen, she put anchovies on it.  I couldn’t!  I told her I didn’t want to have any and I think she was a little upset about it.  

To be honest, I really was surprised that I seemed to be the only one that wouldn’t eat it.  What teenager likes anchovies?  Especially from the U. S. ?  I felt bad, but not bad.  Mlle Panai asked me why I wouldn’t eat the Pan Bagnat and I told her why.  She made one without the anchovies and I took the onions off and I did enjoy the sandwich. 

To be honest, I still don’t know why she put anchovies on the Pan Bagnat and I promise you there isn’t any on my adaption of this sandwich.

What Makes Fawn’s Pan Bagnat Different from the Traditional Sandwich?

First, my sandwich is open faced.  I used a sourdough toast (homemade from my daughter) and then I spread an avocado mash on top of that.  Avocado is not traditional for a Pan Bagnat but it is delicious.

Second, I do not put potatoes, green beans, capers or onions on it.  I wanted to make my Pan Bagnat to be a simple but tasty sandwich.

And lastly, I top it with a little olive oil.  A lot of  Pan Bagnat has a little vinegar but I think the olive oil gives the sandwich a little freshness to it.

What do I need to Make Fawn’s Pan Bagnat?

A cutting board, serrated knife, can opener, knife, spoon, baking sheet, mixing bowl, fork and the following ingredients:

Mama Fawn’s Tips. . .

•  Feel free to use any hearty bread for this sandwich.
• Substitute a soft boiled egg, if you prefer.]
• You want fresh and ripe produce for this recipe.
• Albacore Tuna in water or oil goes well with this recipe.
• If you are not a fan of tuna, you can use canned chicken breast.
• To mash the avocado easier, I use a potato masher.