Catalan tomato bread (Pan con tomate)

1. Cut the bread (ideally a crusty country loaf with an open crumb) into 1.5 cm slices.

2. Toast the slices on a griddle, in a toaster or under the grill for 2-3 minutes on each side until crisp.

3. Halve the garlic cloves and lightly rub the cut side over the still-warm bread.

4. Halve the very ripe tomatoes and rub the cut side firmly into the bread until the pulp and juice soak in and only the skin is left in your hand.

5. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt.

6. Serve immediately, on its own or with serrano ham and manchego cheese.

Tip: In Catalonia it's called "pa amb tomàquet" and appears at almost every meal – the secret is very ripe tomatoes and good olive oil.