Pan con Tomate ~ Toasted Bread with Tomato & Garlic, a staple from Spain

Why over complicate the simple?

Somethings are delicious with just a few ingredients. And don't quite need a recipe - a drizzle of this, a dash of that a good rub of this.

That kind of sums up what we're making today. You'll be hard pressed finding  a tapas or pinxtos bar in Spain that doesn't serve up a version of pan con tomate.

Lovely rustic bread, toasted on a wood fired grill, which sadly but not overly disappointing in my little kitchen, means the broiler. Couple of cloves of garlic, fresh summer vine ripened tomato (a must!) and of course of my favorite Nocellara olive oil from Sicily. I'm down to my last bottle and every drop is precious!

But with so few ingredients, the quality take precedence.

So easy and delicious is this Spanish staple that I'm fixing this when friends are over for dinner tomorrow night. After a busy cooking class during the day, I'm going the easy route for dinner ~ and this will be perfect!

Did I mention, the thin slices of serrano ham are just delicious as a topper! And a good glass of my favorite Oyster Bay Pinot Noir will only add to it all.

Gather the ingredients,

1 mini-ciabatta bread (available at Wegmans bakery)

2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 RIPE, vine tomato – cut in half

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Artisan salt (to sprinkle)

Serrano Jamon slices (to serve)

Heat the oven to BROIL.

Keep a pastry brush handy with the olive oil.

Bread: Cut the loaf into 3” pieces and then half each LENGTHWISE into 2 halves. Place the bread on a cookie sheet or baking tray.

Broil the breaded until well toasted (1-2 minutes max). Remove from the oven.

Work fast this point on!

While the bread is still hot, rub the tomato all over the bread slices so the juices and pulp infuse the bread.

Liberally apply olive oil all over the bread with a pastry brush.

Rub garlic cloves all over the bread so it ‘melts’ into the bread. Sprinkle with a touch of artisan salt to finish.

Tear each jamon slice lengthwise and fold attractively over each bread slice.

Serve immediately. Keep & it will turn yucky soggy!

 

 

Recipe for

Pan con Tomate

Shopping list:

1 mini-ciabatta bread (available at Wegmans or Wholefoods bakery) or use baguette in a pinch

2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 RIPE, vine tomato – cut in half

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Artisan salt (to sprinkle)

Serrano Jamon slices (to serve)

Preparation: Heat the oven to BROIL

Bread: Cut the loaf into 3” pieces and then half each LENGTHWISE into 2 halves. Place the bread on a cookie sheet or baking tray.

Keep a pastry brush handy with the olive oil

Method:

1. Broil the breaded until well toasted (1-2 minutes max). Remove from the oven.
2. Work fast this point on!
3. While the bread is still hot, rub the tomato all over the bread slices so the juices and pulp infuse the bread.
4. Liberally apply olive oil all over the bread with a pastry brush.
5. Rub garlic cloves all over the bread so it ‘melts’ into the bread. Sprinkle with a touch of artisan salt to finish.
6. Tear each jamon slice lengthwise and fold attractively over each bread slice.
7. Serve immediately. Keep & it will turn yucky soggy!

Enjoy!