Pan con Tomate (Spanish Grilled Bread with Tomato)

Start by grating tomatoes, cut into halves, into a small-mesh strainer, placed over a bowl for draining. Rotate the tomato halves every so many sweeps while grating, shredding all the flesh down to the skin. Discard the skin. Allow the tomato pulp to drain for about 30 minutes or so. (The bowl will collect a relatively large amount of tomato water, about 6-8 ounces. Discard it, reserve it for a different use, or drink it.)

Once drained, season tomato pulp with olive oil, salt, and cracked black pepper to taste. (For a bigger garlic taste, add half the garlic to the tomato paste by means of a microplane.)

After the tomato pulp is seasoned, cut ciabatta loaf into two long halves and place it on a grill or in the oven in broiler mode. Grill until the bread achieves a beautifully charred look, without developing a black, burned surface, about 1 minute or so under the broiler.

Brush one half of the garlic over the grilled top of the bread halves, covering the entire surface. Spread the seasoned tomato paste over the garlic-rubbed grilled bread.

Cut it into 2-inch or so strips, garnish with fresh chopped Italian parsley, drizzle with olive oil (optional) and serve immediately.