Oven Candied Summer Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 2-2 1/2 pound(s) delicious, ripe, medium-sized tomatoes (not plum tomatoes, unless they are extremely flavorful and never
• 1 cup(s) robust extra-virgin olive oil
• salt

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Core tomatoes and halve vertically. Do not seed. Leave small tomatoes in halves, cut slightly larger tomatoes into 4 wedges, medium ones into 6, and large into 8. In a half sheet pan, or two 2-1/2 quart shallow metal baking pans (not glass or enameled metal), arrange tomato wedges cut side up, about 1/2 to 1-inch apart. Coat tomatoes with oil — there should be enough to film the bottom of the pan as well. Sprinkle with salt.


2. 2. Bake 30 minutes, then lower heat to 350 degrees and bake another 30 minutes. Turn heat to 300 degrees, and bake 30 more minutes, or until edges are slightly darkened. If edges are not yet colored, turn heat down to 250 and bake another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove tomatoes from the oven. Cool 20 minutes. Transfer them to a shallow glass or china dish and pour their oil over them. Let mellow, uncovered, at room temperature 4 to 6 hours.


3. 3. Layer in a storage container, pouring in their oil, and refrigerate. To serve, drain off all oil from tomatoes and offer at room temperature. Taste for seasoning. Freeze tomatoes in their oil in sealed plastic containers up to 3 months.