Oven Dried Tomatoes

Total Time: 4 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 8 lbs plum tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise (firm and ripe)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 heads garlic, separated but not peeled
• 12 fresh thyme sprigs
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil, for packing

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325 degrees f; position oven racks in the center of the oven.
• 2 remove the seeds and pulp and discard.
• 3 pour 1/4 cup oil in each of two glass baking dishes; place tomatoes, cut side down, in the baking dishes.
• 4 scatter the garlic and thyme among the tomatoes; with a sharp knife, make a slit in each tomato half.
• 5 bake the tomatoes until the skins start to wrinkle, about 45 minutes; pinch off the skins, flip the tomatoes, and bake again until the surfaces look dry, about 1 hour.
• 6 flip again and bake until the surfaces again look dry but tomatoes are still slightly plump, 2 hours longer.
• 7 season with salt and pepper and let cool.
• 8 discard thyme and peel garlic.
• 9 in 5 half-pint jars, layer tomatoes with garlic; cover, by 1-inch, with additional olive oil.
• 10 slide a knife inside the jars to release any air bubbles; seal.
• 11 keep refrigerated up to 2 months; 6 months in freezer.