Pappa al Pomodoro (Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup)

0 Put 2 cups of the bread cubes in a blender or food processor along with [wprm-ingredient text="⅔ cup water" uid="1"], ¼ cup olive oil, [wprm-ingredient text="2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with blade of a knife" uid="3"], and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend to form a smooth paste.
1 Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot and place over medium-low heat. Add [wprm-ingredient text="1 cup finely chopped onion" uid="5"] and cook until onion is very soft, but not browned, 8-10 minutes.
2 Add [wprm-ingredient text="3 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups) *see note below for how to peel" uid="6"], [wprm-ingredient text="2 teaspoons sugar" uid="7"], 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and continue cooking the tomatoes until they become very soft, about 25 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, mash the tomatoes into a coarse puree.
3 Add the bread mixture to the tomatoes and stir. If the soup seems very thick, add a little bit more water to thin it out. The texture should be dense and creamy, but still spoonable. Cook for a few minutes, then remove from the heat.
4 Drizzle olive oil over the remaining bread cubes. Put them in a skillet over medium-high heat and toast until golden and crisp, stirring them around, for about 5 minutes.
5 Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper. Garnish with the toasted bread,basil leaves an a swirl of olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.