Tomatoes on Garlic Toast
Inspired by the classic tomato toasts of Spain, this version builds deeper flavor by pulsing ripe tomatoes into a thick, drained purée that clings perfectly to crispy golden baguette slices — and don’t forget to save that precious tomato liquid for sipping or cocktails.
Serves 8 to 12 as an hors d’oeuvre
Ingredients
- 1 large tomato, about 10 ounces
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Half a baguette
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Basil leaves, torn, for garnish
- 8 to 10 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Using a sharp knife, remove the stem and some of the skin from the top and base of the tomato. Slice in half crosswise, squeeze out the seeds, reserving the juice for the cook. Roughly chop the remaining flesh into 1-inch pieces. Place the tomato in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to process to a chunky pulp. Add salt and pepper and process again for 2 seconds. Pour the pulp into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl to allow the clear tomato liquid to drain, leaving the thick pulp, 5 to 10 minutes.
- To make the toasts, slice the baguette into about 15 thin slices, drizzle the lined baking sheet with the remaining oil and arrange the bread in a single layer on the foil. Press the bread into the oil, and then flip the slices and press again so that the bread is lightly coated with oil on both sides. Bake until the toasts are crispy and golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the tomato pulp and stir well. Spoon onto the toasts and top each with a basil leaf and half an olive.
Notes
When I visited Spain, I enjoyed the tomato toasts they made with ripe tomatoes rubbed over grilled bread. This is my version with a thick puree of tomatoes, drained of their liquid to concentrate the flavor. Remember to save the tomato liquid to drink or to make a cocktail.
