Tomato confit. Photo: Jennifer Iserloh.

Here's a little restaurant technique to make the rich, sweet, tangy, roasted tomatoes that many restaurants use to add a flavor and dimension to various dishes.

I like them best with pasta and although they do take time to cook, they are well worth the wait.

Making tomato confit isn't hard but it can heat up the house and seem wasteful to run the oven for hours -- so why not use an energy-saving toaster oven?

This is more of a weekend dish, so while I wait for these babies to sweeten and shrivel, I clean out my fridge, get the house ready for guests, or try out new recipes.

Serve the confit with soft, fresh tortellini or ravioli that you can find in your grocery store's refrigerated aisle, and stir in other favorite ingredients, like fresh mozzarella, basil, balsamic vinegar and grated Parmesan.

Toaster-Oven Tomato Confit

Ingredients
10 plum tomatoes
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled, split, germ removed and finely sliced
A handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
2 sprigs thyme, leaves only
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. With a pairing knife, cut out the stem of each tomato, then make an "X" cut on the bottom of each.

Turn the water off and plunge the tomatoes into the water. Submerge and soak them for about 30 seconds. Remove to a colander and immediately run under cold water. Peel the skin off and discard skins.

Set the toaster oven to 200 degree F. Line a baking sheet with foil and pour about 2 teaspoons olive oil evenly over the pan. Sprinkle the oil with salt and pepper. Sprinkle a little of the garlic, basil and thyme over the oil. Cut each tomato in half, lengthwise, and carefully, with your fingers or a tiny spoon, remove the seeds.

Lay the tomato halves (cut side down) in the pan, wiggling the tomatoes around if necessary so that each has a touch of oil on its cut side. Using a pastry brush, give the tops of the tomatoes a light coat of olive oil. Season the tops with salt and pepper and a little sugar, and scatter the rest of the garlic, basil and thyme on top.

Slide the pan into the oven and bake the tomatoes for 2 1/2 hours, turning every 30 minutes, until they are very tender but still able to hold their shape. Cool the tomatoes to room temperature in their pan. When cool, transfer them to an airtight container. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Learn more about Jennifer at skinnychef.com, and read her exclusive Slashfood blogs every Monday and Friday.