There’s a Spanish dish called “pan con tomate” that I had years ago in Spain and then more recently at a local restaurant in Portland. I was reminded how much I love it and it might be my favorite way to eat a summer tomato. Crispy golden toasted bread gets rubbed with raw garlic and topped with grated juicy, summer tomatoes that are seasoned with salt. You can stop there, but we’re topping ours with salty parm, fresh basil, and plenty of olive oil for an umami-packed bite!
Ingredient highlight
Tomatoes! There is nothing like a ripe juicy summer tomato and the end of summer is peak season. Not only does that mean they will be sweeter, juicier, and more flavorful, but it also means their nutrient content is at its highest. Tomatoes are a great source of vitamins C, A, K, and potassium. They’re rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that gives tomatoes that bright red color. They also are high in lutein and zeaxanthin – two nutrients important for eye health.
Servings 8 – 10
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lbs ripe summer tomatoes (about 3-4)
- ½-1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 loaf good bread, cut into ½-1-inch thick slices*
- Olive oil, for brushing
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- Shaved parmesan, for topping
- Fresh basil, for topping (optional)
- Olive oil, for topping
- *The number of slices really depends on how large the loaf is, so just use as much bread as you need and freeze the rest!
- *Use a sourdough boule, a baguette, or some kind of hearty homemade bread. Basically, don’t use crappy store-bought sandwich bread. You need a sturdy thick slice of bread. The recipe should make about 8 small toasts, depending on the size of your bread. You can cut the bread into smaller pieces to have more toasts.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut a thin slice off the end of each tomato, then grate the tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater. The tomato flesh and liquid will separate, drain off any excess watery liquid left on your cutting board. Transfer the tomato pulp to a bowl and season with salt. Taste and add more salt, as needed.
- Cut the slices of bread into triangles or rectangles (depending on the shape of the bread) . Brush each slice with a thin layer of olive oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until deep golden brown and crisp on top. Let cool off for a few minutes.
- While the bread is still warm, take a whole clove of garlic and rub/grate it over each slice of toast. Scoop a layer of tomato onto each toast. If it’s super watery, you can tilt the spoon to drain off excess liquid before spreading on the toast.
- Top each toast with parmesan, basil, and a drizzle of your best olive oil. Serve right away.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Grate the tomatoes and season with salt.
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, use a GF bread.
- Skip the parm to make it vegan.
- If you’re not a raw garlic fan, skip that part.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge:
- Grated tomato: up to 4 days
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- If you have leftover assembled toasts, you can just eat them cold or put them in a hot covered skillet to warm up the bread a little.
- If you have leftover grated tomato, toss it with pasta, olive oil, and parm!
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