I’m often asked for recommendations when people are planning a trip to the Basque Country and I never quite know how to answer. I was born and raised there, so it’s difficult for me to experience it as a visitor. The moment I arrive, I slip back into old routines without even realizing it. Euskara, the mother tongue, comes back, familiar roads feel instinctive, and places I’ve known my whole life become ordinary again. Sometimes I wonder what someone seeing it for the first time notices that I no longer do. It reminds me how deeply language and memory shape the way we move through the world.

Here are a few photos from places that hold special meaning for me and my family. Places I return to almost every time I go home.

I say I don’t really know about hotels, but if you want a peaceful spot a short hike/drive away from my favorite beach, check out Hotel Gametxo, which is owned by my childhood friend Beñat Gabika (we have known each other since kindergarten). We had some American friends visiting during this last trip and they stayed here.

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Now, onto bocadillos…

The bocadillo is Spain’s answer to the question: “Is there ever a bad time for a sandwich?” (The answer, of course, is no.) These crusty baguette sandwiches are everywhere and fit into every part of the day: we ate them on school trips, eaten for dinner when you don’t feel like cooking, grabbed while wandering around town, or rescued from a late-night hunger emergency after a night out. There’s a bocadillo for every mood, every schedule, and probably every hour of the day.

The real magic is in the everyday ones, such as the bonito tuna with piparrak from the neighborhood bar, the bocadillo de tortilla de patatas after a long beach day, or the chorizo one eaten standing at the counter with a tiny coffee.

The one I’m sharing today is a mix of traditional and my own twist. A bocadillo de bonito with harissa mayo, olive oil-packed bonito tuna, piquillo peppers, cherry tomatoes, and crisp lettuce.

Hope you will like it!

Bocadillo de Bonito - Tuna, Tomato & Piquillo Pepper Sandwich

This bocadillo de bonito brings back the flavors of the Basque Country in every bite. Simple yet oozing flavor, this sandwich is built around rich bonito tuna packed in olive oil, sweet and smoky piquillo peppers, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and harissa mayo. It’s a fresh combination of briny, spicy, creamy, and bright flavors tucked into a crusty gluten-free baguette.

You can find the gluten-free baguette recipe in my book Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple (for the baker’s yeast version) or in The Art of Gluten-Free Bread (for the sourdough one).

A few tips about the recipe:

-Piquillo peppers are small, sweet peppers very traditional in the Basque Country. They have a distinct pointy end and smoky flavor. Mine are from Matiz. You can also use regular roasted red peppers if you cannot find piquillos.

-I don’t know the exact name of the lettuce I used. I got it at the farmers market and it’s so delicious. Looks a bit like frisée, but it’s not bitter at all. I need to ask the farmer next time I go. Edit: I went back and asked the farmer about the lettuce. He said it’s called red frilly, but it doesn’t look exactly like what I thought red frilly looked like.

-Using sliced tomato will keep the bocadillo a bit less messy, but I only had cherry tomatoes so that’s what I used.

-If you don’t have baguette and want to use sourdough slices, I would toast them first so they are sturdy enough for the moist filling.

Serves 2 to 4

1 gluten-free baguette, sliced in half lengthwise

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon harissa paste

6 roasted piquillo peppers (jarred)

1 tomato, thinly sliced or 8 to 10 large cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cans (110 g each) olive-oil packed bonito tuna, drained

Handful of crunchy lettuce leaves

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo and harissa paste until smooth. Spread the mixture on both sides of the sliced baguette. Arrange the piquillo peppers on one side, topped with tomato, and bonito. Lightly press down. Arrange the lettuce on the other side and press both sides together. Serve immediately.

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Send me ideas for bocadillo sandwiches if you’ve made interesting ones and let me know if you have plans to travel to the Basque Country any time soon.

Again, check out my Google Maps list for more. I am constantly updating it.

Much love to all.

-Aran

My cookbooks in the afternoon sun.

If you have been successful with my recipes, consider reviewing my book on platforms that accept reviews such as Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, etc. It is super helpful and much appreciated!