Description
Pan con Tomate is a classic Spanish breakfast or snack featuring toasted crusty bread rubbed with garlic and topped with freshly grated ripe tomatoes, olive oil, and sea salt. This simple yet flavorful dish highlights fresh, high-quality ingredients and is perfect for a quick, authentic taste of Spain.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bread
- 1 loaf crusty baguette, cut into thick slices
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
For the Tomato Topping
- 4 medium Campari tomatoes (or 2 large vine tomatoes)
- Pinch flakey sea salt (such as Maldon or Fleur de Sel)
- 1 clove garlic
Instructions
- Grate Tomato Flesh: Cut the tomatoes in half and use the large holes of a box grater to grate the inside tomato flesh into a bowl. Stop grating when you are left with just the outer tomato skins.
- Season: Drizzle 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into the bowl with the grated tomato. Add a pinch of flakey sea salt and stir gently. Set aside to meld flavors.
- Toast Bread: Heat a skillet over medium heat and drizzle a bit of olive oil into the pan. Add the sliced bread and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side until nicely toasted and slightly golden. Remove the bread from the skillet and place on a serving plate.
- Assemble: Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut side on top of the toasted bread slices to infuse them with garlic flavor. Spoon the seasoned grated tomato mixture generously over each slice of bread. Drizzle with more olive oil and add an extra pinch of sea salt if desired. Serve immediately.
- Optional Serving Suggestion: For a traditional Spanish breakfast experience, serve the Pan con Tomate alongside a slice of Spanish omelette (tortilla Española).
Notes
- Use ripe, flavorful tomatoes for the best taste; Campari or vine tomatoes work well.
- Fresh high-quality extra virgin olive oil enhances the flavor significantly.
- Toasted bread should be thick-cut and still slightly chewy inside, not overly crisp.
- Rub garlic immediately before serving to keep its pungency fresh without overwhelming.
- This dish is naturally vegan and vegetarian-friendly.
- Can be served as a snack, breakfast, or appetizer.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish
Keywords: Pan con Tomate, Spanish breakfast, tomato bread, Spanish tapas, easy appetizer, toasted bread, garlic bread, olive oil toast
