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1
Slice the tomatoes and lay them in a colander. Salt lightly and leave to drain for 10 minutes. The tomatoes are ready when a quantity of pink liquid has collected below and the flesh has firmed slightly.
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2
Split each roll horizontally. Rub the cut face of each half vigorously with a halved garlic clove, pressing firmly so the cut surface breaks against the crumb.
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3
Pour olive oil generously over both cut faces of each roll—this is where the dish lives or dies. The bread must drink the oil until the crumb turns translucent and sodden throughout; a lightly dressed surface is insufficient. Use more oil than instinct allows.
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4
Layer the filling on the base of each roll in this order: drained tomatoes, red pepper, spring onions, radishes, artichoke hearts, broad beans, hard-boiled egg slices, tuna (or anchovy fillets), olives, and fresh basil leaves. No lettuce, no cooked vegetables, no vinaigrette, no mayonnaise.
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5
Press the top half of each roll firmly down onto the filling. Wrap each roll tightly in cling film, then place all four on a tray. Set a weighted board, heavy pan, or similar flat weight on top. Rest at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes and ideally 2 hours. The roll is ready when the bread yields under gentle finger pressure without resistance—firm but fully yielding—and the outer crust shows the faint dampness of oil absorbed from within.