Oven-Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 2 cans peeled whole tomatoes, drained, stem ends trimmed and any bits of skin removed
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 15 large basil leaves, thinly sliced into a chiffonade
• Red wine vinegar, to taste
• Sugar, to taste
• Freshly toasted sliced bread, for serving
• Halved garlic cloves, for rubbing on toasts

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set a bowl underneath your hands as you work, then pull each tomato into halves with your fingers, squeezing out the seeds and discarding them. Spread the tomatoes across the prepared baking sheet in one layer, sprinkle with salt, and coat them with olive oil. Roast until the extra liquid has cooked off and the tomatoes seem a bit dry on the outside but remain tender inside, about 1 hour.
2. Move the roasted tomatoes to a cutting surface and mince them. Scrape them into a large mixing bowl. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil, add the basil, and mix thoroughly. Taste and season with salt, then add red wine vinegar about 1 teaspoon at a time, stopping when the tomatoes have just a gentle tang. Mix in a pinch of sugar to bring out the tomatoes’ sweetness; if you want a little more, add it cautiously to taste.
3. Rub the upper sides of the toasts with garlic, using more for a bolder bite or less if you want it milder. Add a drizzle of olive oil, season lightly with salt, then pile the tomato mixture on top and serve.