Next on
Restaurant Recreations...At Home, I make the versatile Spanish classic
Pan Con Tomate using
Boqueria's recipe. This delicious and simple snack can be eaten all day, from breakfast into the wee hours and is a cinch to prepare, requiring only ripe, meaty tomatoes, a fresh baguette, and good-quality olive oil. Chef Marc Vidal likes to serve his with marinated olives, such as Amanida cocktail olives, for garnish. I decided to dress it up further with slices of cured meats like chorizo and jamón Serrano, and Spanish cheeses such as Manchego.
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| Left: The dish from Boqueria; Right: Chef Marc Vidal |
Boqueria Pan Con Tomate (Serves 10)
- ½ classic French baguette
- 2 Tbsp tomàquet (recipe below)
- 1 Tbsp high-quality olive oil (Spanish or Valderama preferred)
- pinch flaky finishing salt
Tomàquet: (Yields ½ quart, about 10 servings)
- 1 lb. ripe tomatoes
- ½ clove garlic
- 2 Tbsp Spanish olive oil, such as Arbequina
- pinch kosher salt
- Make the tomàquet: Cut the tomatoes in half and grate the pulp into a medium-size bowl using a box grater. Discard the skin.
- Grate the garlic on a microplane into a separate small bowl.
- Mix the tomato, grated garlic, olive oil, and salt to taste.
- Cut bread in half lengthwise, and then cut each half on a bias.
- Toast the bread lightly in a toaster, so that the top is crispy and the inside stays moist.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of tomàquet over toasted bread, and add a drizzle of oil and a pinch of finishing salt.
You can make the tomàquet ahead of time and store in tupperware in the fridge for up to one day. When you arrive at the party simply toast the bread, spread the tomàquet and get back to socializing.
We made this dish for our own New Year's Eve party and it was a perfect little accompaniment to the lovely Spanish meat and cheese spread we had. The bread was great to coat the stomach in preparation for all the wine and champagne we drank to count in the new year!
