Extremaduran Cold Tomato Bread Salad Spanish Recipe

Extremaduran Cold Tomato Bread Salad Spanish Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 thick slices rustic bread (about 4 ounces)
• 6 tablespoons Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 ripe plum tomatoes
• ½ garlic clove, peeled
• ¼ teaspoon sweet pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• sea salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup quartered green olives

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F
2. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and toss in a mixing bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil
3. Spread the bread on a sheet pan and bake on the middle rack until golden brown, about 5 minutes
4. Set the croutons aside to cool
5. Cut 4 of the tomatoes in half
6. Place a grater over a mixing bowl
7. Rub the cut surface of the tomatoes over the grater until all of the flesh is grated; discard the skin
8. Spoon the tomato pulp into a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl
9. Allow the pulp to drain for 30 minutes
10. Reserve the drained pulp
11. Dice the remaining tomatoes
12. Using a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic together with the pimenton, parsley, and a pinch of salt to make a smooth paste
13. The salt stops the garlic from slipping at the bottom of the mortar as you pound it down
14. Whisk 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the vinegar together in a small bowl, and then stir in the garlic-parsley paste
15. In a mixing bowl, combine the croutons, peppers, diced tomatoes, scallion, and olives and toss together
16. Pour in the dressing and mix well
17. To serve, spread the reserved tomato pulp on a serving platter and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil
18. Top with the bread salad and season to taste with salt

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