Wine and food pairings 17: Pan Bagna

The Wine Curmudgeon pairs wine with some of his favorite recipes in this occasional feature. This edition: three wines with a the legendary pan bagna — or pan bagnat, if you prefer

The best part about pan bagna? You don’t need a recipe to make this legendary sandwich from southern France. Literally. Check the cyber-ether or any vaguely French cookbook, and almost every recipe is different (just like its spelling). Like anchovies? Use them. Don’t like them? Who cares?

The only things that really matter are the quality of the bread (crusty, either a roll or loaf) and the vinaigrette, since this is a sandwich that needs to soak. And soggy bread and crummy vinaigrette just won’t work.

Pan bagna is so free form, in fact, that I’m not including a linked recipe with this post.

It’s mostly salad ingredients; go to the refrigerator and use what’s there. So sliced cucumbers, sliced or chopped tomatoes, lettuce leaves, sliced onion, fresh herbs, and almost anything else. I’ve seen recipes with green beans, hard-boiled eggs, pitted olives, capers, leftover roast chicken, and even smelly cheeses as well as those anchovies. I like best-quality imported tuna, packed in olive oil.

Cut the bread you’re using in half, layer each half with some vinaigrette and maybe Dijon mustard, and then add an ingredient. Put some vinaigrette on that ingredient, add another and repeat. Just don’t add too many layers so that you won’t be able bite into the sandwich.

When the sandwich is built, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap that in a Ziploc-style bag. Place it on a sheet pan or plate, with another plate on top, put it in the fridge, and weigh it down with some cans. That way, the sandwich will soak more effectively. Let it rest for at least eight hours. Take it out an or so hour before eating. Unwrap carefully, because it will be messy, and enjoy.

And the wines to go with a pan bagna? Summer wines, of course:

• Garofoli Macrina 2020 ($13, purchased, 13%): The Italian Wine Guy told me about this wine several vintages ago, and it has never disappointed. The 2020 isn’t as well rounded as the 2019, but there is still plenty of almonds, plus light citrus and minerality. Imported by Garofoli USA

• MAN Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($10, purchased, 13%): Not as amazing as the South African winery’s chenin blanc, but still worth drinking. It sits somewhere between New Zealand and more traditional styles, so not too much citrus (lemon, not grapefruit), but that wonderfully clean and refreshing finish. Imported by Vineyard Brands

• Jolie Folle Rose 2021 ($14/1-liter), purchased, 12.5%): French pink remains a fine value. Barely ripe wild strawberry fruit and almost savory, and even has some garrigue. Highly recommended. Imported by T. Elenteny Imports

Blog associate editor Churro contributed to this post.

More about wine and food pairings:
• Wine and food pairings 15: Southwestern-style stew with guacamole and pico de gallo
• Wine and food pairings 15: Southwestern-style stew with guacamole and pico de gallo
• Wine and food pairings 14: Mom’s chicken parmigiana

Slider photo: “Rome Elite Event: wine, food and nice people” by Yelp.com is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0