Country bread (sourdough or pan rústico) slices 1 ½ cm thick. Toasts in a hot oven, on a griddle, or under a grill until pale gold and crisp on the outside but still tender inside. Garlic clove halves; cut sides rub gently over the warm toast. Ripe tomatoes halve; cut sides rub harder, pressing tomato pulp into the bread until soaked. Olive oil drizzles; flaky salt sprinkles. Eat at once.
Maris Piper or floury potatoes peel and cube 2 ½ cm. Double-cook for shatter-crisp shell + fluffy interior: blanch / boil for 8 minutes till just tender, drain, cool slightly. Brava sauce: olive oil heats with garlic and a touch of flour; smoked paprika + cayenne stir in 30 seconds; tomato passata, sherry vinegar, salt, sugar; simmer for 15 minutes; blend if you want a smooth sauce or leave rustic. Optional garlic aioli: garlic-and-egg-yolk mayonnaise. Potatoes fry in hot oil 6-8 minutes till deep gold. Plate with sauce zigzagged over; aioli alongside.
Padrón peppers wash, dry well. Heavy pan heats over very high heat with a slug of olive oil. Peppers tip in, all at once. Cook for 3-4 minutes, tossing constantly, until the skins blister and char in patches and the peppers slump slightly. Tip onto a serving plate; sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Eat hot with fingers.
A vibrant, deeply flavoured roasted red pepper salsa with shallots, fresh thyme, basil, lemon, and olive oil. Roasting the peppers until blackened intensifies their sweetness and adds a subtle smokiness. Versatile enough to serve with pasta, spread in a bouchée canapé, or as an accompaniment to grilled meats and fish.