Tomato Bruschetta (Bruschetta al Pomodoro)

Method

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1. 1Halve the tomatoes, scoop out the watery seeds with your finger and dice the flesh small. This keeps the bread from going soggy.
2. 2Put the tomatoes in a bowl with the minced garlic, salt, pepper, 3 tbsp olive oil and the vinegar if using. Tear in the basil, stir and leave for 10 minutes.
3. 3Toast the bread on a griddle pan, in a toaster or in a 220 °C oven for 2-3 minutes, until golden and crisp on both sides.
4. 4While the toast is hot, rub the cut side of the whole garlic clove over the surface; the crisp bread grates the garlic like a rasp.
5. 5Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the bread and spoon the tomato mixture on top, leaving most of the juice behind.
6. 6Serve right away; the longer it sits, the more the bread soaks up the juice and loses its crunch.