Pan con Tomate with Grated Tomato and Raw Garlic

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Four ingredients, zero cooking beyond charring bread. You grate ripe tomatoes on a box grater until only the skin is left in your hand, rub a raw garlic clove over hot grilled bread like sandpaper, spoon on the tomato pulp, then flood it with good olive oil and flaky salt. It only works if the tomatoes are genuinely ripe and you are genuinely generous with the oil.

Ingredients

• 2 large very ripe tomatoes (about 1 lb / 450 g), room temperature
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 loaf rustic country bread or ciabatta, unsliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, the best you have, for finishing
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt

• thinly sliced jamón serrano or anchovy fillets
• snipped chives or torn basil

Instructions

1. Set a box grater in a shallow bowl. Halve the tomatoes through the equator. Holding a half cut-side against the largest holes, grate with firm, flat pressure until you are left holding only a flat disc of skin; discard the skin. Repeat with all halves. You should have about 1 cup of loose pulp.
2. Stir 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil into the pulp. Let it sit 10 minutes — the salt draws out water and concentrates the flavor. If the pulp looks soupy, tip the bowl and spoon off the thin watery liquid that pools at the edge, or drain in a fine sieve for 5 minutes. Do not refrigerate; cold kills tomato flavor.
3. Cut the bread into 8 slices about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick, on a slight diagonal so each slice has a wide face. Thinner slices go limp under the tomato.
4. Heat a grill to medium-high (about 450°F), or set a cast-iron grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Brush the bread lightly on both sides with a little of the finishing oil.
5. Grill the bread 2 to 3 minutes per side, until you see dark char marks and the surface feels dry and gritty to the touch. That rough, toasted surface is what shreds the garlic — soft bread will not work. Under a broiler, toast 2 to 3 minutes per side on the top rack.
6. While each slice is still hot, cut a garlic clove in half and rub the cut face firmly over one side of the bread, 3 or 4 passes. The clove should visibly wear down. Use a fresh cut face when it stops gripping; for milder garlic, one or two passes is plenty.
7. Spoon the tomato pulp generously over the garlic-rubbed side, about 2 tablespoons per slice, spreading to the edges. Some juice soaking in is the point.
8. Finish each slice with a heavy drizzle of the best olive oil — count to three per slice, roughly 1 1/2 teaspoons — and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Drape with jamón or an anchovy if using, scatter herbs, and serve within 5 minutes while the bread still has crunch.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

Char-Grilled Oysters with Garlic-Worcestershire Butter

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem