This Spanish classic is the perfect snack amongst family & friends or as a simple starter for any dinner party. Add a meat/cheese board and you have a very tasty “I don’t wanna cook tonight” dinner.
Tapas just don’t come more simple and tasty than this! Who doesn’t love Spanish food? The oil, the marinated vegetables, the epically good cold meats and OBVIOUSLY the tapas. Hell, who doesn’t love Spain fullstop? They have life well sorted with their little power nap during the day. Damn, it’s been a while since I was afforded the luxury of daytime napping and I can only imagine it will be a good while longer as I hear the 20 month old kicking off in the other room! My wife and I were just reminiscing upon those times when on holidays pre-parenthood you might just decide to open a bottle of bubbly, relax and read a book. Anyone else remember those days? I guess that’s why this dish is such a winner in our house. Quick, simple, packed full of flavour and it literally takes mere moments to make. The perfect zombie / new parent snack!
At this point, even if you aren’t fluent in Spanish you have probably guessed that this dish is pretty much tomatoes and bread. However it isn’t JUST tomatoes and bread. While there is nothing wrong at all with picking up some cheap tomatoes from your local supermarket (I have done it multiple times!), there truly is nothing better than sourcing good quality tomatoes. The freshness, the juice content and the flavour really take the dish to the next level. Throw in some great rustic bread drizzled in olive oil, a kick of fresh garlic and the punch of good quality salt and you have a real winner on your hands. When possible, I generally try to get my tomatoes from a local farmers market, which there are tons of in Brisbane. My local is the Jan Powers Market in New Farm and it is packed full of great produce, as well as snacks to have to keep you going while you decide on what to cook. If you don’t happen to have a great local market or don’t have the time to visit one, as I said there is certainly nothing wrong with your local supermarket. However just PLEASE don’t skimp on the good quality salt – using table salt will add a totally different, and believe me, a not so good taste to your dish.
I hope you enjoy this one and please feel free to reach out with any comments or questions.
Ingredients
3 x large tomatoes – i used truss
1 x garlic clove
Maldon salt
Salt/pepper
Good quality olive oil
Bread – I used pane di casa here but any good quality rustic style loaf will do
Essential Tools
box grater
grill pan/frying pan
sieve
medium sized serving bowl x 2
Method
1. Grate tomatoes on largest side of box grater into bowl – as you grate you will get the pulp in the bowl and be left with the skin to discard.
2. Strain the tomatoes through a sieve into a new bowl. Add back some of the juice from the tomatoes. I add about a teaspoon and drink the rest. Yum!
3. Add a pinch of salt & pepper & approx 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil to the mixture.
4. Rub the sliced bread with olive oil and grill.
5. Rub one side of the grilled bread with raw garlic, top with tomato mixture and a sprinkling of maldon salt.
6. Enjoy!
Tips/Tricks
*don’t skimp on the quality of the oil. I use Red Island in my kitchen as I like to support Australian produce and it’s a wonderfully versatile oil too*
**best eaten that day but it will last 2 days in the fridge if for some reason you don’t eat it all in one sitting**
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