Tomato Bread - Pan con Tomate

Tomato Bread is simply toasted bread rubbed with fresh garlic and ripe tomato, then drizzled with olive oil and a bit of salt. It can be eaten by itself, but is often topped with cheese, ham or sausage and is eaten for breakfast or appetizer. Pan con Tomate (Bread with Tomato) is sometimes called Pan a la Catalana in other parts of Spain. It is one of the simplest, the most well-loved, the most widely eaten and the most famous dishes from Cataluña. In Catalan, it is called pa amb tomaquet and in Spanish, pan con tomate.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• rustic-style bread
• 2 large, round, ripe tomatoes
• 2 large cloves of garlic
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt to taste

Preparation:

Optional: If you wish, add thinly sliced Spanish cheese, chorizo or ham.

It is best to use a rustic-style bread, that is solid and dense and a bit wider than the standard, narrow baguette. Instead of a baguette, you may use a batard.

First, if using a baguette, cut pieces about 4-5 inches long. Then, slice the pieces horizontally, as you would when making a sub sandwich. If you are using a rounder, wider type of bread, slice off one “end” piece, which will have lots of crust and set aside for another use. Then slice the rest of the loaf into pieces about 3/4 inch thick.

Toast the slices lightly on both sides.

Peel the garlic cloves and slice a bit off the ends and rub the cut ends over each slice of bread. The cloves will eventually wear down after being rubbed against the toasted bread and you will end up with stubby little pieces that are impossible to hold.

Slice the ripe tomatoes in half across the middle. Then, using the tomato half, rub the cut side of the tomato generously onto each slice.

Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over slice of bread. Salt to taste.

If you like, enjoy the Tomato Bread or Pan con Tomate by itself. However, if you want to make the dish a little more substantial, add Spanish Serrano ham, Spanish cheese, such as Manchego cheese or some Spanish chorizo sausage.

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