Bruschetta with Basil-Marinated Tomatoes

This Southern Italian specialty is really just an open-faced sandwich—slices of toast, usually in thicker slabs than the currently popular bite-size crostini, are covered with various toppings. The recipe here is based on bruschetta rossa (red bruschetta) from Michael Romano, the gifted chef at Union Square Cafe, one of my favorite New York restaurants. Put the tomato mixture together in the afternoon, then serve with a knife and fork as the late summer sun begins to