TOMATOES: Dice the tomatoes into very small, even-sized pieces and place in a medium sized bowl. With your hands (don't use a knife), rip the basil leaves into small pieces. Gently stir together the tomatoes and basil and then form a dome with the mixture.
TOMATOES CONT.: Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the dome and then sprinkle salt (to taste) on top (I start with 1/2 tsp fine sea salt). Do not stir in the olive oil or salt. Set aside, uncovered, at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour to marinate.
GRILL OR BROIL BREAD: Slice the bread 1-inch thick and then brush the top of one side with the remaining 2-3 tablespoons of oil. GRILL bread slices on a cleaned charcoal grill (oiled side down) until golden brown and lightly marked with grill lines (about 30 seconds in a 450 degrees F grill) OR BROIL: Set your oven rack about 6-inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler to high. Place bread (oiled side up) on baking sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes (watch carefully) and then remove from the oven.
INFUSE BREAD WITH GARLIC: Slice a raw garlic clove in half. Gently rub the grilled slices of bread (both sides) with the cut end of the raw garlic clove.
ENJOY: Taste the marinated tomatoes and add a touch more salt if needed. Use a slotted spoon to top each slice of bread with the marinated tomatoes (Note 3). If desired, drizzle on a touch more oil or a balsamic glaze. Enjoy immediately while the bread is still slightly warm.
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Notes
Note 1:Tomatoes: The better/riper the tomatoes, the better this will taste! Use ripe garden tomatoes if possible. If it's winter time, we'd recommend cherry/grape tomatoes instead -- about 1 pint.Note 2: Bread: Any kind of rustic bread is great! Here are a few things to look for: neutral flavor, good crust, able to be grilled or broiled and topped with tomato mixture without falling. Our favorites: ciabatta, French baguette, sourdoughNote 3: Adding tomato mixture to bread: Top warmed bread slices only with what you'll be eating right away otherwise the bread will get soggy quickly. For serving, set toasted bread separate from tomatoes to allow guests to top their bread and enjoy.