Where to eat Pa amb oli in Palma
Dense Mallorcan brown bread rubbed with ramallet tomato and olive oil, salted, then loaded with cheese, cured meat or olives. The island's default plate at any hour.
The story of Pa amb oli
Pa amb oli is built on pa moreno, the dense unsalted brown loaf Mallorcan households baked to last a week, and on tomàtiga de ramellet, the hanging tomato variety that keeps through winter on a string. The bread is rubbed rather than sliced with tomato, dressed with island olive oil and salt, then topped. It predates tourism entirely and remains what Mallorcan families eat when nobody wants to cook, which is why every Palma bar has a version on the board.
How to make Pa amb oli
Serves: Serves 2
Ingredients
- 4 thick slices dense brown country bread
- 2 ripe ramallet or vine tomatoes, halved
- Mallorcan extra virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt
- Mahón cheese or sobrassada, to top
- Green olives, to serve
Method
- Toast the bread lightly, just enough to firm the surface without drying it out.
- Rub the cut face of a tomato half hard across each slice until the crumb is stained red.
- Pour olive oil generously over each slice and scatter with flaky salt.
- Top with sliced Mahón cheese or a smear of sobrassada, and serve with olives alongside.
Editor tip. Use bread with a tight, chewy crumb. Airy sourdough collapses under the tomato and oil.
The editor picks for Pa amb oli in Palma are still in research. Meanwhile, see the Palma signature-dishes index or the Palma food guide.