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Loading...A beloved staple of Catalan cuisine, this humble dish turns a few quality ingredients into something transcendent: crusty country bread rubbed with ripe tomato and garlic, then finished with a generous pour of fruity olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. It is breakfast, snack, and tapa all at once, and its genius lies in the insistence on the freshest possible tomatoes.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Total Time15 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 420 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 4 gSaturated Fat
- 42 gCarbs
- 4 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 16 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 380 mgPotassium
- 70 mgCalcium
- 3 mgIron
- 16 mgVitamin C
- 55 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the bread base
- 1 crusty country-style loaf (about 400 g), sliced 1.5 cm thick
- 2 ripe vine tomatoes (about 300 g), halved
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
Optional accompaniment
- 8 thin slices cured Spanish ham (jamón serrano or ibérico)
- Fresh basil leaves, for serving
Directions
- Preheat a grill pan or broiler to medium-high. Toast the bread slices until golden and lightly charred on both sides, about 1–2 minutes per side.
- While the toast is still warm, cut the garlic clove in half and firmly rub the cut side over the surface of each slice; you want a thin, fragrant film, not heavy chunks.
- Squeeze the cut side of a tomato half directly onto a slice of bread, pressing and rubbing so the pulp and seeds soak in while the skin is left behind in your hand. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes, using about half a tomato per slice.
- Drizzle each slice generously with the extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, then let the bread rest for 1–2 minutes so the juices absorb.
- Top with a couple of slices of cured ham and a few basil leaves if using, and serve immediately while the toast is still slightly warm and crisp.
Cook’s Notes
- Use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find; in summer, sun-warmed garden tomatoes are ideal.
- Traditional Catalan cooks rub the garlic on the bread first, but if you prefer a milder flavor, rub it on the tomato instead.
- A slightly stale rustic loaf (pan de payés) works even better than fresh bread because it absorbs the tomato juice without turning soggy.
- For an authentic touch, finish with a few drops of good sherry vinegar alongside the olive oil.
- Eat it right away; this dish loses its charm once the bread goes cold and soft.
