This pintxo can be scaled up for brunch; simply increase the quantities and serve on thick slices of the best rustic bread you can find.
3 tablespoons Spanish extra virgin olive oil
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
few drops of sherry vinegar
6 padrón peppers
6 slices of rustic bread, toasted
1 fat garlic clove, peeled and halved
6 slices of Ibérico ham (with plenty of fat)
pinch of coarse sea salt flakes
SHERRY REDUCTION
1 tablespoon Pedro Ximénez sherry
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
MAKES 6
To make the sherry reduction, heat the Pedro Ximénez sherry and sherry vinegar in a small saucepan until it has reduced by one-third.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a frying pan/skillet. Once hot, place the tomatoes, cut side down, in the pan so they are not touching each other. Season with a sea salt. Add a few drops of sherry vinegar along with the sherry reduction, then cook until the tomatoes take on a little colour, turning them only once.
At the same time, in a separate pan, cook the padrón peppers in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil for a few minutes until lightly charred. Season with sea salt.
To assemble the pintxos, rub the toast with the cut-side of the garlic clove, then drizzle with a few drops of the olive oil. Top each slice of toast with some ham, a few tomatoes and a padrón pepper. Serve hot, as soon as possible after cooking the tomatoes and peppers.
This recipe is from La Cocina Vasca. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.