Pa amb tomàquet (Bread with tomatoes)

Today's recipe is even easier than the Andalusian Gazpacho. It won't take you more than five minutes to prepare and the results are just "wow"!

Pa amb tomàquet, (in English, "Bread with tomato"), or pa amb oli, "Bread with olive oil", is a simple recipe that is typical of the style found in Catalonia, Majorca and Valencia.

History

The origin of this dish is disputed, as the tomato is relatively new to Catalan cuisine (the crop wasn't introduced from America until after the 15th century). Widely regarded as the epitome of Catalan cuisine and identity, some sources claim it is actually a relatively recent dish (mid to late 19th century) to arrive on the Mediterranean coast of Spain.

The dish shares some similarities with the tomato and olive oil rubbed Ħobż biz-Zejt of Malta and the Pan-bagnat of Nice, a version is eaten in Provence, France and of course the name that most people are familiar with - the tomato topped version of Italian bruschetta.

Preparation

Pa amb tomàquet or pa amb oli consists of bread — optionally toasted — with tomato rubbed over and seasoned with olive oil and salt. Sometimes garlic is rubbed on the bread before rubbing in the tomato. In many Catalan restaurants, the tomato mixture is pre-made and is brushed on the bread. The dish is served accompanied with any sorts of sausages (cured botifarres, xoriço, fuet, etc.), ham, cheeses, anchovies or other marinated fish, or grilled vegetables like escalivada, which I'll will show you in the next post.

In Majorca, pa amb oli is prepared with tomato called Tomàtiga de Ramellet, which is a specific variety of tomatoes on the vine, smaller and with a little bit more intense and sourer taste than normal tomatoes.

The original base used to be made with toasted slices of pa de pagès ('peasants' bread'), a typical round piece of wheat bread of a fair size.

Step by Step

1. First, the garlic is rubbed on the bread.
2. Then the same is done with the tomato.
3. Next comes the salt, and lastly the olive oil.
4. The traditional way to get all the flavours mixed well without having to premake a sauce, is to cut off the heel of a baguette and use it to gently but firmly press all of the ingredients together.

Enjoy!