Tuscan Tuna-and-Bean Sandwiches

I was on a cooking frenzy this morning! That never happens. Must have been because the sun was shining and I was in such a great mood. I also knew we were planning to go kayaking at some point today. I decided to let my husband sleep in, rather than push him out of bed like I normally would when we have something planned. But in order to do that, I had to keep myself busy, so I decided to put my energy into sandwiches for the trip. That's when I found this marvelous recipe on epicurious.com.

I was able to get all of the ingredients at Nicastro's in the Glebe. Even the bread, which was some Art-is-in garlic and rosemary bread – soooooo yummy. It's so soft and airy. It's perfect. They have a wonderful selection of Italian foods, and lots of organic produce BUT their service is the pits. Everytime I go it seems none of the staff want to be there. Helping you isn't just a bother, it downright painful and it seems they would loose their soul if they had to even try to smile. I go because it's convenient, but I'm seriously thinking the next time I will go out of my way and go to La Bottega in the market instead. At least then I'll feel welcome.

Ok, back to the sandwich! If you're tired of the usual plain old tuna with mayo, you've got to give this a try. It's great and has tons of flavourful ingredients that work wonderfully together. And the best part? I made it and it turned out ok! That's two in a row with the scones!

What you’ll need
For beans 1 (14- to 15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For tuna salad
2 (6-oz) cans Italian tuna in oil, drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For sandwiches
8 (1/3-inch-thick) slices rustic Italian bread (from a round crusty loaf) or 4 (4-inch-long) oval panini rolls
1 cup loosely packed trimmed watercress sprigs

What to do
Prepare beans:
Coarsely mash beans with a fork in a bowl, then stir in garlic, lemon juice, oil, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Make tuna:
Flake tuna in a bowl with a fork, then stir in basil, olives, celery, onion, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until combined.

Assemble sandwiches:
Spoon one fourth of bean mixture on 1 slice of bread, then top with one fourth of tuna salad, some watercress, and a slice of bread. Make 3 more sandwiches in same manner.