This simple Tapas recipe originated in Catalonia and Pan con Tomate is now popular in Andorra and Spain. Made by rubbing garlic, tomatoes, and olive oil on a loaf of crusty bread, you only need a few high quality ingredients to make an impressive recipe with lots of flavor.
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Recipe Origins
Pan con Tomate is a special tapas recipe that originated in Catalonia and later became popular in Spain and Andorra. It is also known as “Pan Tumaca” in Barcelona, and in Catalan, it is called “Pa amb Tomàquet”.
The origins of Pan con Tomate trace all the way back to Ancient Greece, in which bread drizzled with olive oil and salt was a popular food choice.
Tomatoes finally came to Catalonia from America in the 18th century, which is when Pan con Tomate (or Pa amb Tomàquet) truly became popular.
The first written record of this recipe can be traced back to 1884. It began as a popular dish amongst rural folks, who used tomatoes to soften their 1-2 day old bread. This is a dish (similar to Cheese Fondue or Bread Pudding) that was invented to stretch what little ingredients were available.
Today, Pan con Tomate is an easy recipe that is wildly popular in both Andorra and Spain. Even better, it can be found in almost any tapas bar.
Why Make this Recipe
- Simple: This recipe is very simple, with only 5 ingredients and just a few minutes toasting in the oven!
- Great for Kids: Because this dish is so hands on with no chopping required and ready instantaneously, it is a great dish to get kids excited about food! Break out the ingredients and have your kids prepare your Pan con Tomate as a delicious appetizer!
- Fun for Entertaining: Even if you don’t have kids, I recommend this as a fun appetizer or side dish while entertaining! Set out a platter with all of the ingredients and let the guests make their own delicious tomato bread.
What Do I Need to Make this Recipe?
Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
Because this recipe has so few ingredients, it is really important that you choose the highest quality ingredients you can get! You will want ripe, juicy, fresh tomatoes, a delicious crusty bread, and fresh garlic in order to make this appetizer mega-delectable.
- Bread: Any loaf of crusty or rustic bread will work. I really like a baguette, but a french loaf or ciabatta bread will work as well. Try to choose a bread with an “open crumb”, meaning a bread with a lot of holes in it to store all of that great flavor!
- Tomato: I use a Roma Tomato because they are a “paste tomato” meaning that they will leave behind a better textured tomato pulp. Make sure you are getting a fresh, high quality tomato. Bonus points if you have a garden to pick from!
- Salt: I would highly recommend using a flaky sea salt for this recipe. It will make a big flavor and texture difference from table salt!
- Garlic: You can peel a garlic clove and cut it in half for easiest use!
Tools
- Cookie Sheet: To toast the bread in the oven.
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Bake the Bread
Preheat the oven to a low broil.
Place the pieces of bread on an ungreased cookie sheet and place the sheet in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted.
Flip the bread over and toast again until browned. Remove the bread from the oven.
Step 2: Add Toppings
Peel the clove of garlic and cut it in half. Rub the garlic onto each slice of toasted bread.
Cut the tomato in half. Rub the tomato onto each slice of bread, making sure to really leave behind a lot of juice and pulp on the bread.
Drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil onto each piece of bread, then sprinkle each piece with salt. Enjoy!
Pan con Tomate Variation
There are two different ways to make this common tapa. The recipe below contains instructions for the Catalan/Andorran way of making this recipe, which includes simply rubbing the tomato on the bread.
To make a Spanish Tomato Bread, the recipe is slightly different. Instead of rubbing a tomato half on the bread, you grate the tomato on the large side of a box grater to get a chunky sauce. This will give you more of a tomato spread instead of just adding juice to your bread.
Either option works, and both are enjoyed in Spain and Andorra. Different families/regions might have different ways of enjoying this dish, so feel free to choose what sounds best to you!
Expert Tips
- Use a serrated knife to cut the bread into slices.
- You can use a pastry brush to make sure the olive oil covers the entire piece of bread if you like a more uniform flavor.
- A non-traditional but delicious adaptation is to roast your head of garlic and then spread the caramelized garlic on the bread (To roast: Chop off the top of the head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes).
- Serve the tomato bread as fast as possible to avoid your bread getting soggy.
Recipe FAQs
I wouldn’t recommend holding on to any leftovers that have already been dressed with tomatoes and olive oil. Because of the nature of this dish, your bread will turn soggy!
Instead, feel free to save each of the ingredients separately, and assemble your Pan con Tomate the next day for a fresh treat.
I won’t lie to you, the garlic in this recipe is strong. If you like garlic (like me), you’ll love this recipe!
If you don’t love garlic, you can always omit it and prepare the bread with just tomato, olive oil, and salt.
Italian Bruschetta and Spanish Pan con Tomate are very similar, but there are some key differences. Bruschetta recipes call for chopped tomatoes that are often mixed with other herbs. Pan con Tomate, on the other hand, rubs the tomato juice right onto the bread!
Did you enjoy this recipe for Pan con Tomate? If so, make sure to check out these recipes I picked out just for you:
- Escudella (Andorran Meat Stew)
- Torrijas (Spanish-Style French Toast)
- Hungarian Langos Recipe
- Fata: Spicy Tomato Sauce from Eritrea
Pan con Tomate (Tomato Bread from Spain & Andorra)
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of crusty bread, cut into slices about 1” thick
- 1 clove Garlic, whole
- 1 Roma Tomato
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to a low broil.
- Place the slices from one crusty loaf on an ungreased cookie sheet and place the sheet in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted. Flip the bread over and toast again until browned. Remove the bread from the oven.
- Peel the garlic clove and cut it in half. Rub the garlic onto each slice of bread.
- Cut 1 roma tomato in half. Rub the tomato onto each slice of bread
- Drizzle a bit of olive oil onto each piece of bread, then sprinkle each piece with salt. Enjoy!
Notes
- Bread: Any loaf of crusty or rustic bread will work. I really like a baguette, but a french loaf or ciabatta bread will work as well. Try to choose a bread with an “open crumb”, meaning a bread with a lot of holes in it to store all of that great flavor! Tomato: I use a Roma Tomato because they are a “paste tomato” meaning that they will leave behind a better textured tomato pulp. Make sure you are getting a fresh, high quality tomato. Bonus points if you have a garden to pick from!
- Salt: I would highly recommend using a flaky sea salt for this recipe. It will make a big flavor and texture difference from table salt!
- Garlic: You can peel a garlic clove and cut it in half for easiest use!
- Use a serrated knife to cut the bread into slices.
- You can use a pastry brush to make sure the olive oil covers the entire piece of bread if you like a more uniform flavor.
- A non-traditional but delicious adaptation is to roast your head of garlic and then spread the caramelized garlic on the bread (To roast: Chop off the top of the head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes).
- Serve the tomato bread as fast as possible to avoid your bread getting soggy.
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