Pan con Tomate Recipe: Catalan Tomato Bread
Pan con tomate, known in Catalan as pa amb tomàquet, combines bread, ripe tomatoes, olive oil and salt. In this version, we lightly toast the bread and rub the tomato directly onto the crumb. Garlic is optional: you do not need to add it or use spices to enjoy this dish.
An appetiser for four people
Allow around 15 minutes in total, depending on your toasting method. These quantities make eight small or medium slices. Toast until the surface is lightly crisp, rather than blackened or completely dried out.
Ingredients
For eight slices
- 8 slices of rustic country bread, around 300 g in total, approximately 1.5 cm thick
- 4 small, very ripe tomatoes, around 400 g in total; you may need more if they release little pulp
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, around 30 ml
- 1 g fine salt as a starting point, adjusted to taste and to the saltiness of the bread
- Optional: 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
Equipment
- A toaster, or a frying pan or griddle suitable for toasting bread
- A chopping board and knife
- A plate to catch the tomato juice
- A spoon, if using grated tomato
You do not need butter, a ready-made sauce or a commercial seasoning blend.
Choosing bread and tomatoes
A rustic loaf with a sturdy crumb lets you spread the tomato without the slice immediately falling apart. Day-old bread can work if it is in good condition. This recipe uses baked bread: it is not a recipe for making bread dough.
Use ripe, juicy tomatoes. If you find hanging tomatoes or tomatoes sold specifically for rubbing onto bread, you can try them; other ripe tomatoes whose pulp comes away easily also work. A hard, underripe tomato is more difficult to rub and provides less juice and flavour.
How to make pan con tomate step by step
Wash and halve the tomatoes
Wash the tomatoes under running water and cut each one in half. Have the oil, salt and optional garlic ready before you start toasting so you can serve the bread promptly.
Lightly toast the bread
Toast the slices in a toaster or on a dry frying pan or griddle over medium heat, on both sides. Watch their colour and remove them when the surface is lightly golden and firm. The time depends on the bread and the appliance; the crumb does not need to dry out completely.
If you prefer to use a barbecue, use controlled heat, keep flames away from the bread and turn the slices as soon as they take on colour. Do not leave them unattended: they burn quickly.
Rub on a little garlic if you like
Gently pass the cut side of the garlic over one side of the toasted bread. Start with a single light stroke: raw garlic can overpower the tomato. You can leave this step out entirely.
Rub the tomato onto the crumb
Place the cut side of a tomato half against the bread and rub gently so the pulp and juice coat the surface. Work over a plate to catch any drips. Repeat with more tomato if needed, and stop before the slice starts to break apart.
You do not need to use all the skin or add all the liquid left on the plate. Aim for a tomato-covered surface, not bread submerged in juice.
Add oil and salt, then serve
Divide the olive oil between the eight slices and add the salt gradually. Taste one before salting the rest, especially if the bread already tastes salty.
Serve immediately. You can cut each slice in half for sharing; use a suitable knife and avoid pressing so hard that all the tomato is squeezed out.
If the tomato will not rub onto the bread
You can grate it from the cut side on a coarse grater, stopping at the skin. Spoon the pulp onto the bread, using only as much as the slice can hold. This is a practical alternative for this recipe, not a reason to blend in the skin or flood the bread with juice.
How to stop the bread becoming soggy
Lightly toast the surface, choose bread with a sturdy crumb and add the tomato just before serving. If preparing several portions, toast and dress the bread in batches. Once assembled, it will keep absorbing moisture: there is no fixed time for which it retains exactly the same texture.
What to serve with it
Serve it on its own as an appetiser, or with olives and other sharing dishes. This version contains no cheese, cured meat or fish; if you add accompaniments, their ingredients and allergens are additional to those in the bread.
For other home-cooking ideas, see our Spanish-language collection of oven recipes and spiced side dishes. Pan con tomate is a separate preparation and does not need the spice blends used in those dishes.
Frequently asked questions
Is garlic essential?
No. The base of this recipe is bread, tomato, olive oil and salt. Use garlic only if you enjoy it, and in a small amount.
Do I have to toast the bread?
This version uses lightly toasted bread. We do not present toasting as a universal rule for every way of making pa amb tomàquet.
Can I make it ahead?
Keep the prepared ingredients separate and assemble the slices when serving. Bread already covered with tomato softens as it stands.
Is it the same as bruschetta with chopped tomatoes?
In this recipe, the tomato is rubbed onto the crumb or grated and spread over it. It is not served as a layer of diced tomatoes with herbs.
What should I check if someone cannot eat gluten?
Wheat bread contains gluten. If you need an alternative, choose bread suitable for that person and avoid contact with unsuitable crumbs or utensils. Check the bread ingredients for other allergies too.
More about this dish
Spain's official tourism website describes the basic preparation of pan con tomate with olive oil and salt. Catalonia's tourism website also describes toasted country bread rubbed with tomato in a dish with anchovies. Here, we explain only the base preparation, without preparing preserved fish.