Pan con Tomate (Grilled Bread with Tomato)

Two halves of toasted bread topped with tomato puree, olive oil and spanish anchovy.

5 from 2 votes

Pan con Tomate (Grilled Bread with Tomato)

Crusty, grilled bread topped with freshly grated tomato, garlic, olive oil and sea salt. Pan con Tomate is the quintessential Spanish tapa and a perfect way to showcase peak-season summer tomatoes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: spanish

Servings:

Calories: 145kcal

Author: Leigh Anderson

Ingredients

4 thick slices good quality bread like a country loaf, ciabatta, sourdough, baguette etc.
2 large ripe tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic
3-4 tbsp good quality olive oil
1/2 tsp sherry vinegar optional
salt

Instructions

Drizzle the bread lightly with olive oil. Under a broiler or in a preheated cast iron pan, toast the bread, turning a few times, until the surfaces are golden brown and slightly charred.
Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes in half horizontally. Place a box grater into a large bowl. Rub the cut faces of the tomatoes over the large holes of the grater, using the flattened palm of your hand to move the tomatoes back and forth. The flesh of the tomatoes should be grated off, while the skin remains intact in your hand. Discard the skin.
Use a microplate to grate the garlic into the tomato pulp mixture. Season with a pinch of salt, sherry vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil - about 2 tablespoons.
Spoon the tomato mixture over the warm toasted bread. Serve right away.

Notes

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

Bread: The best bread for pan con tomate is a crusty bread with a lot of flavor. Some good options include: country loaf, ciabatta, sourdough or baguette.
Tomatoes: Use the ripest tomatoes you can find. Heirlooms are great, "beefsteak" tomatoes are perfect too.
Sherry Vinegar: Sherry vinegar is optional but I think it adds a nice kick of acidity to cut through the sweetness of the tomatoes.

Nutrition