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Toasts & sandwiches · 15 minutes

Caprese Pan con Tomate with Basil Oil

Spain’s grated-tomato toast meets an Italian caprese, with fresh mozzarella on top and a quick hand-chopped basil oil instead of whole leaves.

Prep
10 min
Cook
5 min
Total
15 min
Serves
2
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VegetarianEgg-freeStovetop

Pan con tomate is one of the best things you can do with a ripe tomato: grate it on a box grater, the skin stays behind, and you’re left with a juicy pulp that soaks into garlic-rubbed toast. Here we turn it into a caprese by adding slices of fresh mozzarella and a spoonful of basil oil on top.

The basil oil takes two minutes. Chop the leaves finely with a pinch of salt and stir them into good olive oil so it turns green and fragrant. This is a recipe for peak-season tomatoes; in January it’s just wet toast, and we won’t pretend otherwise.

The recipe

Caprese Pan con Tomate with Basil Oil

Prep 10 min · Cook 5 min · Total 15 min · Serves 2

Ingredients

Tap to tick off as you go.

For the basil oil

For the toast

Method

  1. Step 1: Make the basil oil

    Pile the basil on a board with the pinch of salt and chop it very finely, almost to a paste. Scrape into a small bowl and stir in the olive oil.

  2. Step 2: Grate the tomatoes

    Halve the tomatoes crosswise and grate the cut sides on the large holes of a box grater set in a bowl, pressing until only the skin is left in your hand. Discard the skins and stir the ½ tsp salt into the pulp.

  3. Step 3: Char the bread

    Brush the bread with the 1 tbsp olive oil. Toast in a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes per side, until crisp and charred in spots.

  4. Step 4: Rub and top

    Rub the hot toast firmly with the cut garlic. Spoon the tomato pulp over each slice, letting it soak in, and leave behind any watery liquid at the bottom of the bowl.

  5. Step 5: Add mozzarella and finish

    Lay the mozzarella over the tomato, spoon on the basil oil, and finish with flaky salt and pepper. Serve right away, while the toast is still crisp at the edges.

Good to know

  • Grate the tomatoes cut side down so you don’t scrape your knuckles. Hold the skin flat against your palm as it gets thin.
  • Use the ripest, softest tomatoes you can find. Slightly overripe ones that are too soft to slice are perfect here.
  • Assemble just before eating. Even great toast turns soggy after 10 minutes under tomato.

Swaps

Fresh mozzarella
Burrata, or for vegan, skip the cheese and add sliced avocado
Ciabatta
Gluten-free bread, toasted until very crisp, makes it gluten-free
Basil oil
Store-bought pesto loosened with a little olive oil (check the parmesan if you’re strict)

Questions people ask

What is pan con tomate?

Pan con tomate (pa amb tomàquet in Catalan) is a Spanish dish of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with grated ripe tomato, olive oil and salt.

What kind of tomatoes are best for pan con tomate?

Very ripe, juicy tomatoes with plenty of flesh, such as beefsteak, heirloom or vine-ripened. Roma tomatoes work but give a thicker, drier pulp.

How do you make basil oil without a blender?

Chop the basil very finely with a pinch of salt, which helps break it down, and stir it into olive oil. It’s less smooth than blended oil but just as fragrant.

Get the tomatoes, basil and garlic from a farmer.

This recipe is only as good as what goes in it. Find a farmers market or CSA farm near you, or get a produce box delivered when there’s no market this week.

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