Step 1

Preheat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan-forced).

Step 2

Quarter the tomatoes lengthways; arrange over an oven tray, cut-side up.

Step 3

Break the garlic into individual cloves and bruise each one with the side of a large knife. Add the garlic to the tray with the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the sugar. Season generously with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 3 hours or until tomatoes are crinkled. Remove from the oven; cool.

Step 4

Put eight of the tomato pieces into a small food processor with the olives and 6 basil leaves. Squeeze the garlic out of four of the cloves; add to the olive mixture. Process to a chunky paste.

Step 5

Serve the toasted bread with the tomato and olive paste, ricotta, tomato pieces and parsley. Drizzle with a little of the oil, if desired.

Step 6

Transfer the remaining tomatoes to a clean glass jar or storage container, layering with the fresh basil leaves and four of the roast garlic cloves. Pour over the extra oil until all the tomatoes are covered.