José Pizarro’s recipe for tomato and bread salad with boquerones | Food

In Spain, some of our most loved dishes come from making something special out of very little. This salad is exactly that kind of food: it’s about using what is already in the house and turning it into something generous and full-flavoured. I have always loved how these dishes bring people together, because they’re designed to be placed in the middle of the table for everyone to share. They remind me of long, relaxed lunches that slowly turn into the afternoon and evening, and where conversation matters as much as the food. Simple, honest and full of character, this is the kind of cooking that never goes out of style.

Tomato and bread salad with boquerones

Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Steep 10 min+
Serves 4-6

400g day-old white bread – sourdough, ciabatta or pane pugliese
4 tbsp olive oil
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
500g ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 small cucumber, deseeded and chopped
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
150g boquerones

Tear the bread into pieces. Heat half the oil with the garlic in a large frying pan, and fry over a low heat for 30 seconds. Add half the bread, turn up the heat and fry until golden. Tip the fried bread into a serving bowl, then add the rest of the oil to the pan and fry the remaining bread until golden. Add this to the bowl, and season with a little flaky sea salt.

Add the tomatoes and cucumber to the bowl and toss. Put the vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil in a blender, add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, blitz and pour over the salad.

Toss to coat, then leave the salad to sit and steep for 10-15 minutes, so the bread soaks up all the juices. Arrange the boquerones over the top and serve.