The 3 Ingredients You Need To Make This Classic Catalan Tapa

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In the Spanish region of Catalonia, legend has it that the first tapas were created as something to fill a small plate that had been placed over a glass of wine to keep the flies out. Spanish food is often luxurious and filling — just look at classic Spanish seafood paella, the national dish — but, if you're bar-hopping in Barcelona, you've had the inimitable experience of delicious, snacky tapas that range from classic serrano ham to chef José Andrés' liquid olives, which are a marvel of high-tech food engineering. One tapa that you can easily make at home (no passport stamp required!) is pan con tomate, which is known as pa amb tomàquet in the Catalan language. You only need toasted bread, high-quality olive oil, and tomato pulp ... although some flaky sea salt and a bit of garlic will only enhance your experience.

Like its Italian cousins, bruschetta and Caprese salad, the simplicity of pan con tomate demands that you source the very best ingredients in its construction, because every element is going to starkly stand out. This is a perfect end-of-summer dish when garden tomatoes are at their ripest. On the list of fun facts you didn't know about tomatoes, the fact that more than 10,000 varieties exist is high up there ... but, for our pan con tomate, we want big, juicy specimens like heirlooms or beefsteaks. You don't need any fancy equipment for this tapa. Instead, just reach for a box grater and your toasting implement of choice.

While bruschetta uses sliced tomatoes on toast, the tomatoes in pan con tomate are grated so that only the soft, juicy pulp remains. The skin is discarded. Simply cut your big, juicy tomato in half and run its flesh across the box grater so that you have a sopping pile of succulent tomato guts. In America, ciabatta bread is the preferred toast. You want something with a substantial crust that can stand up to the juiciness of the tomato, so sourdough or French bread are also worthy contenders. Toast your bread, top with a big mound of tomato pulp, and drizzle liberally with your quality olive oil. That's it; that's the procedure. If you really want to gild the lily, you can rub your toast with a clove of cut garlic before topping and sprinkle your finished pan with salt or even chopped basil, but these steps are strictly optional.

As you might have guessed from its origins as a tapa, pan con tomate pairs superbly with a tall glass of your favorite wine as an appetizer, but you need not imbibe alcohol to reap the benefits of this delicious snack. We'd even go so far as to say that, on a hot summer night when the heat is making you feel indolent, it makes a light yet indulgent dinner all by itself, with or without the Rioja.