Slow-roasted grape tomatoes are a perfect lazy weekend treat, and are an especially good way to breathe new life into tomatoes that are past their prime. The flavors of the tomatoes, garlic and olive oil become wonderfully intense, and the kitchen smells amazing.
Place an oven rack on the center shelf and preheat to 250 degrees F.
On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar. (I don’t recommend lining the sheet, because foil and/or parchment will waste some of the resulting infused oil).
Roast for 2 hours, stirring every 30-45 minutes. You can stir less often, but I like to scrape the bottom of the pan regularly to ensure nothing sticks.
After 2 hours, stir in the oregano and thyme, then reduce the heat to 200 degrees F. Continue cooking and occasionally stirring for another 1 - 2 hours, or until the skins are shriveled and bursting and your kitchen smells amazing.
Remove the pan from the oven and turn the heat up to 350 degrees F. Transfer the contents of the pan, including all of the oil, into a medium-sized bowl. Brush some of the infused oil onto the crostini and toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Serve the tomatoes over the crostini, garnished with some additional chopped fresh herbs. You can optionally spread a thin layer of roasted garlic on the crostini as well. The oil is excellent for bread dunking.
Place leftover tomatoes and oil in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for approximately 3-5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
You can omit the sugar, especially if the tomatoes are very sweet, but I recommend leaving it in. It may seem redundant since tomatoes are already sweet, but it adds caramelization, which enhances the flavors without overpowering.
Other fresh herbs like basil would world well in this recipe.
For a faster version of the recipe:
On a rimmed baking sheet, roast the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar at 350 degrees F for around 20 minutes, until the skins begin to shrivel, stirring once midway through. Remove the pan from the oven, and scrape the contents into a bowl (including all of the oil). Brush some of the oil onto the bread slices and toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until crispy and golden. Meanwhile, stir the oregano and thyme into the tomatoes and let the flavors infuse while the crostini toasts.