Name: Quicker Roasted Tomatoes
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds plum tomatoes , cored; 4 garlic cloves , sliced thin; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ teaspoons sugar; 1½ teaspoons kosher salt; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Why This Recipe Works

For this recipe, we focused on finding a quick oven-drying technique that would transform the tomatoes into slightly chewy, savory-sweet morsels with deep, concentrated tomato flavor. Roasting the tomatoes in smaller pieces and at a slightly higher oven temperature than is typical of other recipes did the trick. Seasoning them first with salt and herbs as well as sugar not only bumped up their savory profile but also strengthened their sweetness. Adding sliced garlic to the quartered tomatoes before roasting them provided another dimension of flavor.

Before You Begin

This recipe can easily be doubled. To do so, adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, divide the tomatoes evenly between two parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheets, and rotate and switch the sheets halfway through baking. Plum tomatoes work best for this recipe. Other tomato varieties will work, but they may be slightly softer after roasting.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Quarter tomatoes lengthwise. Working with 1 tomato quarter at a time, position tomatoes seed side up on cutting board. Using paring knife, cut interior pulp and seeds from tomatoes and discard. Transfer tomatoes to large bowl. Add garlic, oil, sugar, salt, oregano, thyme, and pepper flakes and toss to thoroughly combine.

Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange tomatoes, skin side down, in even layer on prepared sheet. Place any garlic that has fallen onto sheet on top of tomatoes.

Bake until tomatoes are shriveled, dry, and dark around edges, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet, about 15 minutes. Serve. (Tomatoes can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. For longer storage, place tomatoes in jar, cover with extra-virgin olive oil, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.)