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1
Pass the tomatoes through a mouli or blitz briefly and strain, reserving all juice. Tear the white crumb into the tomato juice and leave to soak until the bread has absorbed the liquid fully and there is no dry centre remaining — the mass should be uniformly saturated and cohesive.
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2
Transfer the soaked bread and tomato, together with the garlic, to a blender. Process to a smooth purée. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, exactly as one would build a mayonnaise — this is where the dish lives or dies: too fast and the emulsion breaks, yielding a greasy, split purée rather than a satin-smooth body; the finished blend should coat a spoon like a cream sauce.
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3
Add sherry vinegar in small increments, blending briefly between each addition and tasting. The correct quantity is reached when the vinegar lifts the tomato acidity without competing with it — the purée should be bright but not sharp, and not flat.
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4
Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of two hours. The salmorejo is ready when it is thoroughly cold and the body has thickened further — the bread starch must have had sufficient time to hydrate fully into the emulsion. A spoon drawn across the surface should leave a clean channel.
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5
Just before serving, warm the shredded jamón in a dry pan over moderate heat until the fat renders slightly and the aroma of the cured pork becomes pronounced. Ladle the cold salmorejo into shallow bowls or terracotta dishes. Arrange the chopped egg and the warmed jamón in the centre. Serve immediately, so the temperature contrast between hot ham and cold purée is at its greatest.