PAN CON TOMATE

Known in its native Catalonia, in the Catalan language, as “Pa amb Tomàquet,” this starter or nibble course is ubiquitous throughout Spain.

RECIPE: Pan Con Tomate
Adapted from Penelope Casas, “Delicioso! The Regional Cooking of Spain” (Knopf, 1996) and Claudia Roden, “The Food of Spain” (Harper Collins, 2011). Serves 2-4 as a first course.

Ingredients
2-4 1/2-inch thick slices of coarse-textured, country-style bread
1 large clove garlic, peeled and cut in half crosswise
1 large (or 2 small or medium) ripe, flavorful tomatoes, cut in half along the “equator” and squeezed gently extract some seeds
Spanish extra virgin olive oil
Kosher or sea salt

Directions
Toast the bread slices in a 350-degree oven for 3 minutes on each side until crisp but not browned. Rub the slices on the cut side with the open edges of the garlic clove.

While gently squeezing the tomato, rub on the cut side of the bread slices until they are well-imbibed with the pulp and juice.

Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt. Serve.