I bought the most beautiful tomato at the market in Málaga and brought it back to Denmark to make pan con tomate, Spanish tomato bread. Pan con tomate is something you’ll often find on tapas menus in Spain. Sometimes the bread is simply rubbed with tomato, while other times it’s topped with a layer of grated or crushed tomato. The latter is the version I like best, and that’s the one we’re making here.
Notes
Everything depends on the ingredients. The tomatoes should be sun ripened and full of flavor, and the olive oil needs to be good quality.
The bread can be a couple of days old and slightly dry. That actually works better.
Wait to add the tomato until right before serving, otherwise the bread will lose its crispness.
You can prepare both the bread and the tomato mixture ahead of time and assemble everything when your guests are ready to eat.
At restaurants, pan con tomate is often served as a whole slice of bread, but I like to cut the bread into smaller pieces. They work better on a tapas table and are easier to eat.
Recipe: Pan con Tomate (Spanish tomato bread)
12
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Ingredients
Bread slices cut into smaller pieces, about 12 pieces total
Good quality olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 large beefsteak tomato or 2 smaller tomatoes
A little salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Toss the bread pieces in olive oil so both sides are coated.
- Place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet so the heat can circulate freely and the bread gets crisp on both sides. If you place the bread directly on a baking sheet, it’s a good idea to flip the bread halfway through.
- Toast the bread at 400°F convection for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. If the bread is on parchment paper, turn it after 3 to 4 minutes. The bread should be lightly golden and crisp, but still have a bit of bite so it can hold the tomato without going soggy right away.
- Cut the garlic clove in half and lightly rub the cut side over the warm bread. You’re just aiming for a gentle garlic flavor, not something overpowering.
- Grate the tomato on the coarse side of a box grater into a bowl. Season with a little salt and olive oil to taste.
- Spoon the tomato onto the bread pieces just before serving, and finish with a light sprinkle of flaky salt if you like. Serve immediately.
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