Pan Con Tomate Is the Three-Ingredient Spanish Snack You Need Now

Wander around in the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain, and you'll find countless treasures, among themfantastical architecture, herbaceousvermouth, and a traditional tomato-topped toast that, to my mind, trumps all other versions ofdressed-up crisped bread. It also happens to be one of the best ways to eat up all of the gorgeous ripe tomatoes in the market right now.

Pan con tomate,also calledpa amb tomàquet(pronounced "pam two-mah-cat"), might be loosely referred to as "tomato toast" or "tomato bread," but it is literally, “bread with tomato”. On our recent first visit to Barcelona, my husband Steve and I deemed it the sleeper hit of the trip.

Maybe you’re thinking, “Whatever. I’ve had plenty of pizza, consumed my fair share of tomato bruschetta, and built dozens ofBLT's; those are all versions of bread with tomatoes, right?” Well, yes. But actually, no.

The genius ofpa amb tomàquetlies in its raw materials and the exceedingly simple way they’re combined. Little more than a warm slice of fresh toast, rubbed with the pulp and juices of a sweet ripe tomato, then drizzled with a good fruity olive oil and seasoned with sea salt, this is the very best“toast”you might ever have.

它也很灵活。吃了鸡蛋for breakfast, cook it up for a midday repast, serve it to guests as a cocktail snack or build an entireno-cook weeknight supperaround it, adding sliced cheeses, cured meats, and an array of delicious canned, jarred or pickled things like tuna, sardines, olives and anchovies to eat alongside or pile on top.

Pan con tomatecan be served already made or DIY-style—as a basket of toast with a cruet of good olive oil and a single whole ripe tomato on the side. You can also include, if you like, a halved garlic clove, the cut side of which can be rubbed on the toast before the tomato. (The garlic option, though not for purists, is often left to the discretion of the eater.)

Putting the dish together couldn’t be easier, but the few simple steps are not always obvious to newcomers. In his book,Catalan Cuisine, a tasty treatise filled with terrific recipes, personal anecdotes, and fascinating bits of regional history, Colman Andrews recounts a sweet story of his first go at the dish, describing his assumption that the tomato should be sliced to top the toast. After looking on good-naturedly, his Catalan companion demonstrated the following steps:

First, cut the tomato in half crosswise. Cupping one half in your hand, gently but firmly rub the cut side of the fruit over one side of a piece of freshly toasted bread, squeezing gently as you go. Basically, the crunchy bread acts as a grater, transforming the ripe tomato into a silky pulp.

Repeat the action on the second side of the bread, then drizzle both sides with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Do this and you’ve nearly masteredpa amb tomàquet. But toreallynail this dish, there are just a few more things to know:

Look for the best quality crusty, rustic bread you can find, and one with a flavorful, craggy crumb that is neither dense nor overly chewy. Ciabatta, baguette, boule and seedy country bread are all great choices. Just steer clear of sourdough or levain-style loaves, since their tanginess can overwhelm the tomato. As you grill, toast or broil that bread, go for a nice golden toast or char, drying out the crumb a fair bit. Think medium toast with a decent crunch and a little give.

Generally speaking, this is a job for ripe, summer tomatoes; pale pink cottony sorts need not apply. Any abundantly juicy variety is ideal—those tasty juices will seep beautifully into all the little nooks and crannies of the toast—but there are also ways to work with a less than perfect tomato. If yours is such, simply use a box grater to pulverize your tomato, grating both cut sides of the tomato into a bowl to create a quick tomato puree, which can then be seasoned with oil and good salt, then spooned over or rubbed into your toast (which you might want to top with a little more oil and salt than usual). This grating technique, by the way, makes fabuloussaucesandvinaigrettes, too. Lastly, if the mood strikes, but you’re out of fresh tomatoes, a good-quality drained canned tomato can also be used.

There are loads of great EVOOs on the market, and any good one that you love will do. But, if you want to do as a Catalan does, look for a premium Spanish oil from the region itself. The ones most often found stateside are made with mild, fruity Arbequiña olives. I purchase mine, along with many of the little things to top my toast with, atDespaña.

While you can use kosher or any sea salt that you like, the good quality crunchy ones add that extra touch of saline spunk. Look for a flaky Spanish sal de mare or nab a box ofMaldon.

Once you have basicpa amb tomàquetdown, why not try your own spin? At her new restaurant,Nina June, in Rockport, Maine, chef Sara Jenkins makes a garlic-rubbed version sprinkled withza’atar. You might also try smoked paprika or chopped fresh parsley. But odds are, once you try the real thing, you won't even think about messing with it.

Mindy Fox is the author of several cookbooks, includingSalads: Beyond the Bowl,and the forthcomingShort Stack Editionsbook,Ginger.