Oven Candied Tomatoes

Slow roasting tomato halves with olive oil produces something between a confit and a dried tomato. You choose what texture you want depending on how you want to use the end result and how long you want to store them. The drier the consistency the longer the end product will keep. These are best stored in the refrigerator or perhaps even the freezer for longer term storage. This is a great way to turn a big bowl of juicy cherry tomatoes into a modest size jar of candy-like dried tomato nuggets.

Slice tomatoes in half and place cut side up in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with a little salt and fresh ground pepper. Drizzle with a generous amount of good extra virgin olive oil - the bottom of the dish should be filmed with oil. Sprinkle fresh basil on top (optional). Bake in a 200 F degree oven until they reach a consistency that you like, anywhere from a couple to several hours depending on the size of the tomatoes and the desired consistency. I treat cherry tomatoes the same way and bake them until they are chewy. If the tomatoes are baked until quite chewy they will keep in a well sealed container in the refrigerator for a long time.