# Pan con Tomate — the Real Spanish Way

> The great Spanish classic in its purest form. **Four ingredients**, ten minutes, and it's one of the best things you'll ever eat. The secret: a proper **ripe tomato** rubbed directly onto hot bread. No sauce, no prep. Just good.

**Total time** : 10 min · **Prep** : 5 min · **Cook** : 5 min · **Servings** : 4 · **Difficulty** : facile

## Ingredients

- 4 slice Country bread
- 4 slice Smoked ham
- 1 pc Ripe tomato
- 1 clove Garlic clove
- Fresh basil leaves
- Olive oil
- Fleur de sel

## Method

1. Preheat the oven to **180°C (350°F)**. Place the bread slices in the oven and toast for **5 minutes**. They should be lightly golden and crispy but still slightly soft inside.
   _Tip: The bread needs to be hot to absorb the tomato properly. Too soft and the juice slides off without soaking in._
2. Cut the **garlic clove** in half and rub **vigorously** over each slice. Cut the **tomato** in half and rub each slice firmly so the juice and pulp soak right into the bread. The bread should **turn red**.
   _Tip: Rub the tomato **slowly and firmly**. This isn't a symbolic gesture: rub until the tomato is almost empty and the bread is deeply red. The redder, the better._
3. Drizzle **olive oil** over each slice. Add a pinch of **fleur de sel**. Tear the ham into strips by hand and lay on the bread. Add a few **basil leaves**. Eat **immediately**.
   _Tip: This dish doesn't wait. The bread goes soggy and loses its crunch within minutes. Serve and eat straight away._

## Tips & variations

Everything depends on the **quality of the tomato**. A proper ripe, in-season tomato makes all the difference. Outside of summer, wait or choose a vine-ripened beefsteak tomato.

Smoked ham is the Iberian version. You can also use **serrano ham**, **Parma ham** or even regular cooked ham with whatever you have.

Vegan version: skip the ham and it's already excellent. Add a few black olives or anchovies to compensate.

**Tags** : Under 30 min, Breakfast, Lunch, Aperitif, Starter, Dinner

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Source : https://disheazy.fr/en/recettes/pan-con-tomate-the-real-spanish-way