I started out with the idea of making something like the traditional niçoise salad in a bun called pan bagnat, and using aioli to dress it. But whole-wheat pitas had just been delivered to my Iranian market when I went to buy produce, and I couldn’t resist them. So I tossed the vegetables together with the tuna and aioli and filled the pockets with a sort of garlicky chopped salad.
Ingredients
- 1 5-ounce can water-packed tuna
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- ¼ cup aioli
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (to taste)
- Lemon juice as desired
- ½ pound tomatoes, half chopped, half sliced
- 3 or 4 basil leaves, torn or cut in chiffonade
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Bibb lettuce or spinach leaves (a generous handful), washed and torn into smallish pieces
- ½ cucumber, or 1 Persian cucumber, peeled if waxy, seeded and sliced thin
- 2 whole-wheat pitas, cut in half
- ½ to 1 small red or green bell pepper, sliced in rings, or roasted and sliced
- ½ small red onion, sliced, soaked for 5 minutes in cold water, drained and rinsed (optional)
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
469 calories; 25 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 36 milligrams cholesterol; 662 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
2 generous servings
Preparation
- Drain the tuna and toss in a medium bowl with the celery, aioli and Dijon mustard. Stir in a little lemon juice if desired. Add the chopped tomatoes, basil, spinach or lettuce, and some of the sliced cucumber, and season with salt and pepper. Toss together.
- Open up each pita half and fill with some tuna mixture. Put tomato, pepper, onion and cucumber slices on top of the tuna/vegetable mixture, and serve. If not serving right away, wrap tightly in plastic.
- Advance preparation: You can assemble the tuna mixture up to a day ahead. Aioli will keep for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator. You can make the sandwich version several hours before eating. The pita shouldn’t sit too long, or it will fall apart.
Dining and Cooking