Confited Tomatoes

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These confited tomatoes are a truly transcendent tomato experience. Olive oil-roasted cherry tomatoes transform into deeply caramelized pearls concentrated with the sweet-umami essence of tomato (and garlic!). Use them as a luxe condiment in grain bowls, flatbreads, and toast, or as a sandwich spread or pasta sauce (P.S. The leftover spiced confit oil is perfect in vinaigrettes or used to cook other veggies/proteins!).

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 15

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: French-Inspired, Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Nisha Vora

Equipment

1 8x8” (20x20 cm) baking dish

Ingredients

12 oz (340g) cherry tomatoes, halved (see Note 1)
4 fat cloves garlic, sliced (not too thinly to prevent burning)
1 ½ teaspoons za’atar
1 ½ teaspoons Aleppo pepper (see Note 2)
½ teaspoon organic cane sugar (see Note 3)
¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (see Note 4)
Freshly cracked black pepper
6 tablespoons (84g) extra virgin olive oil, divided

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven.
Grab a 8x8” (20x20 cm) baking dish or other oven-safe pan that can hold the tomatoes in roughly a single layer, packed closely together (a pan that’s too big = you’ll need to use more oil than listed).
Add the halved tomatoes, garlic, za’atar, Aleppo pepper, sugar, salt, and several cracks of black pepper to the pan. Toss well with your hands to coat the seasoning into the tomatoes.
Drizzle on 3 tablespoons (42g) olive oil, and toss again to coat. Spread out in a single layer or mostly single layer.
Transfer to the oven and roast for 50 minutes, or until soft with some browning on the edges.
TIPS: If using a metal pan or cast-iron skillet, you may want to check 5 minutes earlier.
TIPS: If you wish to store these for more than a few days, sterilize a glass jar while the tomatoes roast (see storage instructions below).
After 50 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and shake everything around a bit.
Pour 3 tablespoons (42g) olive oil over the tomatoes and shake to evenly coat the tomatoes.
Return to the oven to roast for 15 minutes, or until tomatoes are caramelized, soft, and wrinkly and edges are browned.

Storage Instructions

For longer storage (up to 4 weeks in the fridge; 3 months in freezer):
Let the tomatoes cool a bit before transferring them and the oil to a sterilized or clean jar. Remember: don’t let the confit sit out at room temp for too long, as garlic shouldn’t be left in oil at room temperature for food safety reasons.
Make sure the tomatoes are completely covered with oil so that air doesn’t enter the jar; you may need to drizzle with a bit more olive oil on top.
Refrigerate and always use a clean spoon when digging into the confit.
NOTE: The olive oil may solidify in the fridge after several days. If that happens, fill a bowl with warm (not hot) tap water and set the jar of confited tomatoes in it for 5 to 10 minutes. The oil will melt quickly and the garlic won't get warm enough to be a concern.
If using tomato confit within a couple days:
Let the tomatoes cool a bit before transferring them and the oil to a clean or sterilized jar. Remember: don’t let the confit sit out at room temp for too long, as garlic shouldn’t be left in oil at room temperature for food safety reasons.
Refrigerate for a few days and always use a clean spoon when digging into the confit.

Notes

In my experience, the sweetest tomatoes are golden or yellow cherry tomatoes. Try to use cherry tomatoes as opposed to grape tomatoes, as cherry tomatoes are sweeter.
You can substitute with any mild chili flake of choice. If all you have is red pepper flakes, use a lot less, as they're much spicier, ½ teaspoon at the most.
If you are using peak summer tomatoes that are very sweet, you can omit this. Otherwise, I recommend including it.
If using sea salt, use a scant ½ teaspoon. If using table salt, use a heaping ¼ teaspoon.

Nutrition