Idiazabal Cheese Toast with Tomato Confit and Anchovies

This Idiazabal cheese toast with tomato confit and anchovies is a bold Spanish tapas dish. Smoky cheese forms the base, topped with jammy slow-cooked tomatoes and savoury anchovies. Rustic, flavour-packed, and deeply satisfying, it’s an easy recipe that pairs beautifully with wine for casual evenings or dinner parties.

Course Appetizer, Starter

Cuisine European, Mediterranean, Spanish

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword anchovy toast, idiazabal toast, smoky cheese, Spanish tapas, tomato confit

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Servings Servings

Calories 190

Author Spooning & Forking

Ingredients

200 g Idiazabal cheese sliced thinly
250 g Cherry tomatoes
4 Anchovy fillets in oil
2 tbsp Olive oil extra virgin
1 clove Garlic minced
1 Baguette or rustic loaf, sliced into 8 pieces
½ tsp Sugar optional
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper freshly ground, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 140°C. Place cherry tomatoes in a baking dish with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar if needed. Roast for 90 minutes until soft, wrinkled, and jammy. Allow to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, toast the bread slices in a hot oven or on a grill pan until golden. Rub lightly with garlic if desired. Layer slices of Idiazabal on the bread, top with spoonfuls of tomato confit, and finish with half an anchovy fillet. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

If possible, use smoked Idiazabal, as it adds complexity that pairs beautifully with the sweetness of tomato confit. UnsMoked Idiazabal is milder but still works.

For anchovies, Spanish varieties preserved in olive oil are best—they’re meaty, salty, and smooth. Cheap anchovies can be too harsh and spoil the balance of the dish.

Nutrition