Ella Walter
Pan con tomate is a traditional Catalan dish, also known as Spanish tomato bread. It is made with a few simple ingredients: fresh ripe tomatoes, garlic, good extra virgin olive oil, and a dash of salt. The key to the best pan con tomate is using the best ingredients available. The tomato mixture can be made and stored in the fridge ahead of time, and the bread can be toasted right before serving.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Storage | Store the tomato mixture in the fridge |
| Bread | Thick slices of rustic bread, such as ciabatta or sourdough |
| Bread preparation | Toast the bread before serving |
| Bread toppings | Olive oil, garlic, salt, lime juice |
| Tomatoes | Large, ripe tomatoes such as beefsteak, heirloom, or Roma |
| Tomato preparation | Grate the tomatoes, strain the pulp, and add olive oil and salt |
| Serving | Serve soon after preparation to prevent the bread from becoming soggy |
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What You'll Learn
Store the tomato mixture in the fridge
To store the tomato mixture in the fridge, you can follow these steps:
Firstly, wash and dry your tomatoes. Then, take your tomatoes (whole) and grate them over a large bowl or plate using a box grater. Grate from the butt to the stem, so you are left with the top part that you can discard. Grate until there is no more flesh and you have a bowl of tomato pulp.
Next, you can strain your tomato pulp using a fine-mesh sieve. This step is optional but helps to improve the texture of the mixture. You can save the watery part of the tomato for another use, such as a Bloody Mary or vinaigrette, or simply drink it.
Once you have prepared your tomato pulp, you can store it in the fridge for up to 4 hours before serving. When you are ready to serve, simply toast your bread, rub garlic, and use the tomato mixture.
It is important to note that pan con tomate is best served soon after preparation to prevent the bread from becoming soggy. Therefore, while you can store the tomato mixture in the fridge, it is recommended to toast the bread just before serving to ensure optimal texture and taste.
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Use the right bread
The type of bread you use for pan con tomate is important. It is traditionally made with rustic, artisan, or country loaves, cut into thick slices. The bread should be crusty and hearty, with a thick slice that can support the weight of the tomato pulp.
Ciabatta is a popular choice, as it has an open-holed structure that can hold large spoonfuls of tomato pulp. A baguette, white or sourdough, is also a good option. Day-old bread is fine to use, as long as it is thick and sturdy.
If you are serving pan con tomate as a free bar snack, you can slice the bread more thinly. However, if you want to make it a more substantial part of a meal, thicker slices of bread will hold up better to the weight of the tomatoes.
The bread should be toasted until it is browned, crisp, and slightly charred around the edges. This provides a good contrast to the juicy tomatoes and ensures the bread doesn't become soggy too quickly.
Toasting the bread is an important step, as it infuses the bread with the flavour of the olive oil, and provides a base for the garlic to be rubbed onto.
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Prepare the garlic
To prepare the garlic for pan con tomate, you'll need to start with a fresh clove. The number of cloves you need will depend on how garlicky you want your pan con tomate to be, but a large clove is best for rubbing all over the bread.
Peel the clove of garlic and cut off the root end. You can then use a garlic press to crush the garlic, or finely chop it with a knife. If you're making a large batch of pan con tomate, you can also use a food processor to chop the garlic.
Once you have your crushed or chopped garlic, you can rub it onto the bread. This is best done when the bread is still hot and toasty, as this will infuse the strong garlic flavour into the bread. You can also rub the garlic onto the bread before toasting it, but the flavour won't be as strong.
If you're serving pan con tomate as a DIY dish, you can place the toasted bread on a platter with the garlic cloves and let your guests rub the garlic onto the bread themselves. This way, everyone can choose how much garlic they want on their bread.
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Grate the tomatoes
Grating the tomatoes is a key step in making pan con tomate. This technique is used to create a tomato puree or pulp, which is then spread over slices of bread to make the traditional Catalan tapa.
To grate the tomatoes, you will need a box grater. Take a whole tomato and grate it over a large bowl or plate using the large holes of the grater. Start grating from the butt of the tomato and work your way up to the stem. Continue grating until you are left with just the top part of the tomato, which can be discarded. The result will be a bowl of tomato pulp, with the skin separated from the flesh.
Some recipes suggest straining the tomato pulp through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the watery part of the tomato. This step can improve the texture of the dish, but it is optional. The strained tomato water can be used in cocktails like Bloody Marys, or to make a vinaigrette with sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Cherry or small tomatoes are not recommended for this dish, as they are difficult to grate and will not produce enough pulp. Instead, opt for larger tomato varieties such as beefsteak, heirloom, early girl, or Roma tomatoes.
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Add toppings
While pan con tomate is usually served as is, you can add toppings to elevate the dish. Here are some ideas for toppings to add to your pan con tomate:
Spanish Serrano Ham
Add a few slices of Spanish Serrano ham to your pan con tomate for a savoury, salty kick. This topping is especially good if you're serving the dish as part of a tapas spread.
Manchego Cheese
Manchego cheese is a popular topping for pan con tomate, adding a creamy, slightly tangy flavour. This combination is also commonly served as a tapas dish.
Roasted Mushrooms
For a heartier dish, top your pan con tomate with some roasted mushrooms. This topping adds a depth of flavour and makes the dish more filling.
Olives
If you're looking for a briny, savoury addition to your pan con tomate, consider topping it with some chopped olives. This topping pairs well with the other Mediterranean flavours in the dish.
Anchovies
Anchovies are another topping option for your pan con tomate, adding a salty, savoury flavour. This topping is especially good if you're serving the dish as a breakfast item.
Feel free to get creative and experiment with other toppings that complement the flavours of the dish. Remember, pan con tomate is all about celebrating simple, high-quality ingredients!
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Frequently asked questions
To store pan con tomate ahead of time, make the tomato mixture and place it in the fridge. Then, when you’re ready to serve, toast your bread, rub garlic, and use the tomato mixture.
You can grate and season the tomatoes up to 4 hours ahead of time.
You can use beefsteak tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, early girl tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, or any large tomato. Avoid cherry tomatoes or other small tomatoes as they are hard to grate.
You can use any bread you have on hand, but crusty bread like baguette (white or sourdough) or ciabatta is ideal.
