Slow Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Adapted from SimpleBites.net , recipe by Aimee Wimbush-BourqueAlso known as oven-roasted tomatoes, these are dynamic, flavor-packed little morsels. For a easy appetizer, serve a bowl of them alongside a wedge of soft cheese and a plate of crackers. Let everyone create their own canapés that are easy, delicious and, best of all, seasonal! You can substitute these in other recipes that call for sun-dried tomatoes. Some favorite uses for these would be to mound some onto a wedge of crusty bread, top with mozzarella and broil to melted sandwich perfection, toss them with crumbled feta and serve over fresh greens for a light lunch, add to pizzas toppings (feel free to skip the tomato sauce and drizzle pizza with olive oil instead) or toss with hot pasta and chopped fresh herbs for a simple, yet elegant meal.
There is no exact quantity given for the tomatoes in this recipe- I would say use a cookie sheet full in a single layer.
Cut the tomatoes in half end-to-end, and place cut side up on a pan. Slice 4-5 cloves of garlic, and sprinkle over the tomatoes. Strip several sprigs of fresh thyme, and sprinkle the leaves over the tomatoes. Season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper and drizzle extra-virgin olive oil liberally over all of the tomatoes. Place in the oven at 200°F for 6-8 hours. The tomatoes will collapse, but not completely dry out. (Since they’ll be in there a while, preheating is not necessary.)
You also could preserve these if you like. Here are two ways to keep them.
Freezing: Pack tomatoes into a freezable container, and pour the oil from the pan over the top. Cover with more olive oil if needed, label and freeze for up to 6 months.
Fridge: Transfer tomatoes to a jar and cover with olive oil. Cover jar with lid and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Revision 2. Last edited Thu 12 Aug 2010 10:22pm by DonnaSavastio