Pan con Tomate (Bread with Tomato)

This recipe from NYT Cooking and Ingrid is a ubiquitous Catalonian dish served in most Barcelona restaurants. The NYT version adds sliced summer tomatoes on top of the traditional grated tomato, rubbed garlic and olive oil. Either way, it makes a delicious appetizer or humble lunch.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 or 4 very ripe medium tomatoes (about 1½ pounds)

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes (about 12 ounces)

  • 4 to 6 large slices sturdy sourdough bread, about ½-inch thick

  • 1 or more garlic cloves, peeled

  • Salt and pepper

  • Extra-virgin olive oil

  • Basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

PREPARATION

  1. Cut 2 tomatoes in half crosswise. Place a box grater in a shallow bowl and grate the tomato flesh from the cut sides, pushing through the large holes. You should have 1 cup or so of coarse tomato purée. Set purée aside and discard tomato skins.

  2. Cut remaining large tomatoes into ¼-inch slices. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Set aside.

  3. Toast the bread until nicely browned and crisp. (Toasting over a charcoal grill yields a rich, smoky flavor, but a toaster, toaster oven or broiler works just as well.)

  4. With your fingers, rub the top of each toast with a garlic clove. You will see the cloves get smaller as the garlic is dispersed, pushed into the bread. (For a less garlicky toast, press lightly when rubbing.)

  5. Place toasts on a platter or individual plates. Spoon and spread a heaping tablespoon of tomato purée over each toast. Then arrange tomato slices and cherry tomatoes randomly on top.

  6. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil per toast. Garnish with whole or torn basil leaves, if using.

TIP: If you don’t want to bother with grating tomatoes, rub the toasted bread first with garlic, then with 1 or 2 halved tomatoes, until top surface is quite juicy, then continue with Step 6.

NOTE FROM INGRID: OMG - I just got some amazing heirloom tomatoes to make Pan con Tomate from Old Farm Truck which reminded me to share this recipe, which is not exactly precise. The NYT one is what I’ve used, but honestly, I essentially just grate the tomato with a box grater (skin & all) and let it drain a bit in a small colander to let a little juice run off. I then finely grate garlic (a little goes a long way!), add that, along with splash of good quality finishing olive oil (like Graza from Livi’s Market) as well as fresh black pepper & sea salt to taste. I let it sit for a bit to allow flavors to blend.

As for bread, I’ve used all kinds. We had the ciabatta from Tri-Star, as that holds the juice nicely and slices well. Using a heartier bread like sourdough or Sub Rosa is delicious, just different.  Crappy tomatoes work in winter, but summer fresh ones .. sublime 😍

RecipesSusan JohnsonComment