Pan con Tomate

Spanish · Summer · 10 min · Serves 4 · By Marcus Vidal

There is genius in restraint, and pan con tomate is proof. Good bread, grilled until smoky, rubbed with raw garlic and the cut face of a ripe tomato, then anointed with oil and salt. It is a recipe only in the loosest sense, but get the ingredients right and it sings.

Ingredients

• 4 thick slices country bread
• 2 very ripe tomatoes, halved
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Flaky sea salt, to finish

Method

1. Grill or toast the bread until well marked and crisp at the edges but still chewy inside.
2. While the bread is hot, rub one side firmly with the cut garlic, then with the cut face of a tomato half, pressing so the pulp soaks in and only the skin is left in your hand.
3. Drizzle each slice generously with olive oil.
4. Finish with flaky salt and eat at once, before the bread softens.