Pan bagna tartines

Inspired by the so-called ‘soggy’ sandwich from Nice bathed in oily tomatoey juices, these little toasts get accessorized by all those quintessential flavours at the core of a traditional pan bagna (also written as pain bagnat which means bathed bread). The technique of grating the tomatoes on a sharp box grater is a useful tip for creating an instant tomato sauce, leaving the skin behind and leaving you with all the mushy juices. 

Ingredients (serves 6 as a snack / canapé)

• 1 small red onion, pickled
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 restaurant/ ciabatta (you want it slightly fatter than a baguette)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large ripe beef tomato
• Salt 
• 12 black pitted olives
• 12 quail eggs, boiled for 2 minutes
• 12 anchovies 
• Basil or thyme leaves
• Black pepper 

Method

At least 30 minutes before serving, peel and very thinly slice the red onion into rounds. Sprinkle with the red wine vinegar and sugar and stir well. Leave to sit. 

Toast or griddle the bread, then rub the garlic all over one side of the bread and drizzle with the olive oil. Grate the tomato on the coarse side of the box grater. Spoon the tomato onto the bread slices. 

Spread them out on a platter and add the olives, eggs, anchovies and a few rounds of the pickled red onion. Scatter with some black pepper and a few herbs to serve.

Pour yourselves a glass of delicious rosé and enjoy the taste of the Mediterranean!