Pan Con Tomate
The beauty of this dish lies in its demand for high-quality ingredients. Use a loaf with an open crumb structure that can stand up to the juice, and reach for a tomato so ripe it threatens to fall apart in your hand.
The bread is the foundation
Avoid soft sandwich bread. You need something with a thick, charred crust and an airy interior to hold the tomato pulp.
- serrated bread knife
- grill pan or cast iron skillet
- garlic clove, peeled
What goes in.
- 1 loafrustic sourdough or country-style bread
- 4 largevine-ripened tomatoes, halved crosswise
- 1/2 cupextra virgin olive oil
- 2 clovesgarlic, peeled
- to tasteflaky sea salt
Use the bread as a tool
Hold the cut side of the toasted bread firmly and rub it against the cut face of the tomato. The toasted peaks of the bread will shred the tomato flesh, leaving the empty skin in your hand.
The method.
Toast the bread
Slice the bread into thick slabs and toast them in a hot dry skillet or over a grill until charred dark brown on both sides.
Rub with garlic
While the bread is hot, rub the raw clove of garlic against the surface. The rough bread will act like a file, grating the garlic into the crust.
Apply the tomato
Hold a tomato half and rub it vigorously over the bread until the red flesh is gone and only the papery skin remains.
Finish and serve
Drizzle immediately with olive oil, ensuring it soaks into the tomato-soaked bread, and finish with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If your tomatoes are small, grate them on a box grater and spoon the pulp onto the bread instead of rubbing.
Serve immediately. If the bread sits too long, the tomato juice will make the bottom soggy.
Choose a grassy, peppery olive oil to contrast with the sweetness of the tomatoes.
The ones that keep coming up.
What kind of tomato works best?
Look for varieties with high water content and soft skins, such as vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes.
Can I prepare the tomato mixture in advance?
It is best to assemble this at the moment of serving. If you prepare the tomato ahead, it will release too much water and turn the bread into a mushy texture.
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