Have you ever thought about how the simplest things can be a real treat for the senses?

The real secret of food pleasure lies in the quality and genuineness of the products more than in their elaboration. In popular Spanish gastronomy we love good and fresh produce!

This explains why so many dishes that used to belong to the rural or simplest lifestyle of the past, are nowadays so damn expensive if you order them in a restaurant!

Just think about THE classic of Catalan food culture: pa amb tomàquet.

You can find it all over the Spanish Mediterranean coast and in the south of Spain.

Is there anything more delicious than a good crisp bread with a juicy ripe tomato, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and, for some, the garlic aroma?

We don’t think so, but we accept suggestions! 🙂

This ancient recipe dates back in 1884, it used to be a dish on his own and a way of re-using hard leftover bread of the week, that could be soften by soaking it with tomatoes.

Nowadays pa amb tomàquet is a side, and despite the fact that you can find it practically everywhere in Barcelona, it is very difficult to find a proper one that doesn’t cost a fortune (4 or 5 euros for it is a fortune).

So which are the secrets of the authentic recipe?

• The tomato has to be Tomàtiga de Ramellet quality.
• The bread must be of quality, not industrial, and it has to be slightly toasted.
• Never use a tomato pulp grated, always soak it directly on the bread surface.
• The salt has to be added after soaking the bread with tomato.

And that’s it, for now!

Photo by JaulaDeArdilla