Pan con Tomate
This is an assembly, not a recipe. The quality of your bread and the oil will dictate the entire experience, so choose both with intention.
Temperature and texture are the only metrics that matter.
Use bread with a thick crust and an open, airy crumb. A soft, sandwich-style loaf will disintegrate under the moisture of the tomato.
- box grater
- serrated bread knife
- grill pan or toaster
What goes in.
- 1 loafrustic sourdough or country-style bread
- 4 largevine-ripened tomatoes, room temperature
- 2 clovesgarlic, peeled
- to tasteextra virgin olive oil
- to tasteflaky sea salt
Friction is your tool
Cut your tomatoes in half crosswise. Use the coarse side of a box grater to shred the tomato flesh, pressing down firmly until only the flat, papery skin remains in your hand.
The method.
Toast the bread
Slice the bread into one-inch thick pieces. Toast them until they are charred at the edges and feel firm to the touch.
Apply the garlic
While the bread is still hot, take a raw garlic clove and rub it vigorously against the porous surface of the toast. The bread should act like sandpaper, shredding the garlic into the crumb.
Add the tomato pulp
Spoon the grated tomato pulp directly onto the bread. Spread it to the edges, ensuring it sinks into the nooks and crannies of the toasted crumb.
Finish
Drizzle immediately with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve before the bread loses its crunch.
Other turns to take.
With Jamón
Drape a thin slice of serrano or iberico ham over the finished tomato toast before serving.
Boquerones
Top with a white anchovy fillet for a sharper, saltier profile.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If your tomatoes are cold, let them sit on the counter for at least an hour; the flavor is muted and the texture is stubborn when chilled.
If you have extra tomato pulp, stir it into a small bowl with a dash of vinegar and extra oil for dipping later.
Do not salt the grated tomato pulp ahead of time, as it will draw out excess liquid and make the bread soggy.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use a blender instead of a grater?
Avoid it. A blender creates an aerated, thin sauce that ruins the structure of the toast. You want the pulp and the juice together, which only grating provides.
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