During tomato season, Spanish cooks prepare this simple dish of juicy ripe tomatoes, fragrant oil and country bread. Prepare this dish when you are grilling other foods. You can toast the bread under a broiler, but grilling gives it the best flavor.
Recipe courtesy of Williams-Sonoma
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves
- Coarse salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 slices coarse country bread, each about 3/4 inch thick
- 3 very ripe tomatoes, halved crosswise
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- FOR THE OPTIONAL GARNISHES: 1/2 cup green or black brine-cured olives, pitted and slivered
- 6 paper-thin slices serrano ham
- 12 paper-thin slices manchego cheese
Preparation
- 1 Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill.
- 2 Place the bread slices on the grill rack 4 to 5 inches from the fire and grill, turning once, until golden brown, 30 to 60 seconds per side. Transfer the bread slices to a platter.
- 3 Cupping a tomato half in your palm, rub it over the top sides of 2 pieces of toast, squeezing slightly to leave a smear of pulp, seeds and juice on the surface. Repeat with the remaining tomato halves and bread. Drizzle the olive oil-garlic mixture evenly over the bread slices and sprinkle with pepper.
- 4 Serve immediately with the garnishes arranged on top, if desired.
