Pan con Tomate & Cured Ham

📝 Ingredients

• 4 slices of country bread (40 g each)
• 2 very ripe tomatoes (about 150 g each)
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 slices cured ham (about 120 g)
• 2 oranges (about 250 g each)
• Fleur de sel, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Grater
• Bowl
• Toaster or frying pan
• Citrus juicer
• Paring knife

📖 Steps

1. Wash the tomatoes and cut them in half horizontally. Grate each half, cut side down, on the coarse holes of a grater set in a bowl, pressing until only the skin is left in your hand. Discard the skin and set the pulp aside.
2. Squeeze the oranges and pour the juice into two glasses, keeping them cool while you make the toast. Peel the garlic clove and cut it in half lengthways.
3. Toast the slices of bread in the toaster, or for 2 min on each side in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat, until golden and crisp outside but still soft in the middle.
4. Immediately rub the cut side of the garlic over the still-warm bread: the crust acts like a grater. Two or three strokes are enough to flavour it without the garlic becoming too strong.
5. Spread the tomato pulp over the slices (about 3 tbsp each) right to the edges, letting the bread soak it up. Drizzle with olive oil (½ tbsp per slice) and sprinkle with a small pinch of fleur de sel.
6. Lay the slices of cured ham on top, ruffling them slightly rather than laying them flat, for more volume and tenderness. Finish with a grind of pepper.
7. Serve immediately, 2 slices per person with the orange juice: the bread soon goes soggy, so don't make them ahead.