Nicoise Sandwich

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 large red bell peppers
• 1 loaf italian bread or 1 loaf french bread, 8 inch round (about 1 lb)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 anchovy fillets
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced thin
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 1 (6 1/2 ounce) can best-quality tuna packed in oil, drained and broken up into chunks (italian)
• 10 kalamata olives, halved and pitted
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• fresh ground pepper

Recipe

• 1 char bell peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides.
• 2 wrap in paper or plastic bag and let stand 10 minutes to steam and soften.
• 3 peel and seed.
• 4 cut bread in half horizontally.
• 5 remove centers of each half, leaving a 1 inch thick bread shell all around.
• 6 combine oil, vinegar, basil and garlic in a small bowl.
• 7 brush inside of bread shell with this mixture.
• 8 layer anchovies, bell pepper, eggs, tomatoes, tuna, olives and parsley on bottom half.
• 9 season generously with pepper.
• 10 cover with top half of bread and press gently.
• 11 wrap tightly in foil.
• 12 cover with a tray or cutting board and place 3, 5 lb weights (various large cans) and refrigerate atleast 30 minutes.
• 13 (can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead – this is great picnic fare).
• 14 cut into 6 wedges.
• 15 pierce each with a long toothpick and serve.