Tomato Confit

Directions

1. 1
   Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and pour about 2 tablespoons olive oil evenly over the pan.
2. 2
   Sprinkle the oil with salt and pepper.
3. 3
   Strew a little of the garlic, basil, thyme, and bay leaves over the oil.
4. 4
   Cut each tomato lengthwise in half and carefully, with your fingers or a tiny spoon, remove the seeds.
5. 5
   Lay the tomato halves cut side down in the pan, wiggling the tomatoes around if necessary so that each tomato has a floss of oil on its cut side.
6. 6
   Using a pastry brush, give the tops of the tomatoes a light coat of olive oil.
7. 7
   Season the tops of the tomatoes with salt and pepper and a little sugar, and scatter over the rest of the garlic, basil, thyme, and bay leaves.
8. 8
   Slide the pan into the oven and bake the tomatoes for 2 1/2 hours, or until they are very tender but still able to hold their shape; turn the tomatoes over at half-time and open the oven for just a second every 30 minutes or so to get rid of the moisture that will build up in the oven.
9. 9
   Cool the tomatoes to room temperature on their pan.
10. 10
    When the tomatoes are cool, transfer them to a jar, stacking them neatly.
11. 11
    Pour whatever oil remains in the pan over the tomatoes and then, if you plan to keep the tomatoes longer than 1 or 2 days, pour in enough olive oil to cover and refrigerate.