You will need: 3 slices bread, 4T butter, 1 small onion, finely diced, 2 stalks celery finely diced, 2 T flour, 5 large tomatoes peeled, seeded & chopped or 1 can (16 or 17 ounces) tomatoes, chopped, 1 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp dried sweet basil, 1/8 tsp dried thyme, pepper to taste.
Here's a tip...if you use fresh tomatoes, to easily peel, cut an X in bottom of tomatoes, dip into boiling water for just 5 seconds or so, shock in a bowl of ice and water. The skins come right off. Thank you Chef Anne Burrell. Then you can seed and chop and go fresh.
Cut bread into cubes and toast in over at 375 for 5 minutes.
Heat butter in a saucepan and sauté onion and celery until tender. Add flour and cook 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes, including juice, and seasonings (if using fresh tomatoes you may need to add some water, just a half cup or so, to have enough liquid). Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, 5 minutes.
Spoon tomato mixture into a greased 3 cup casserole. Sprinkle toasted bread on top, dot with additional butter and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until bubbly.