Platter of Tomato Bruschetta

Wash and dry the tomatoes and trim any stems. Cut the tomatoes in quarters lengthwise. Remove the core and seeds. Discard the seeds and dice the the tomatoes.

Allow excess juices to drain from the diced tomatoes by placing the diced tomatoes in a wire mesh strainer set over a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Gently rinse the basil and shake or blot dry with absorbent paper towels. Set aside a few sprigs of basil for garnish. Remove the basil leaves from the remaining stems and finely chop the leaves.

Trim the ends of the garlic cloves and remove the paper-like skins. Slice the garlic in half, and set aside for the moment. The garlic will be used to season the toasted bread slices.

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Place the drained tomatoes in a large mixing bowl; add the finely chopped basil and gently mix to incorporate.

Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the ciabatta into slices that will hold up to toasting. Place the slices on a wire rack and toast lightly, in a preheated oven. Watch closely.

After toasting, rub each slice of bread with a garlic clove. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on each toasted slice. Spoon the tomato basil mixture on top of each toasted slice. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.