1. Preheat oven to 230°C with a rack in the top slot of the oven. Finely chop the tomatoes and place them in a medium bowl. Mix in the minced garlic, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Stir in the thinly sliced basil and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, adding more to taste. Note: tomatoes love salt – you may need to add more than you expect.

2. Toast the baguette slices – use a bread knife to slice the baguette on the diagonal, making half-inch thick slices. Brush one side of each slice with olive oil and place olive oil-side down on a baking sheet or roasting pan.

3. When the oven has reached 230°C place the slices in the oven on the top rack and toast for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly browned around the edges.

4. Serve toasted bread with tomato mixture: Arrange the toasted bread on a platter, olive oil side facing up (the olive oil will help create a temporary barrier keeping the bread from getting soggy from the chopped tomatoes). Either serve the toasts plain with a bowl of the tomato bruschetta mixture on the side for people to top their own, or use a spoon to gently top each.