Oven Dried Tomatoes

Use as you would sun-dried tomatoes.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 20
• Yields: 5 half-pints

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

Directions

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.