Pomodori al Forno

This is a recipe that I read about in Bon Appetit. I pulled it instantly upon reading and it's been on my "to try" list ever since. The boy was working today and since it's Sunday I had the luxury of being able to have a tasty treat waiting for him on his return home. It's far too domestic of me, but I couldn't help myself. Most of you know how much I love to cook for people, especially those I love. Before I digress any further, see below for the recipe:

Pomodori al Forno
from Bon Appetit

1 cups (or more) olive oil, divided
2 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeded (I used a 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley
Aged goat cheese (such as Bûcheron)
1 baguette, thinly sliced crosswise, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 250°F. Pour 1/2 cup oil into 13x9x2-inch (I used an 11x7 inch dish) glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange tomatoes in dish, cut side up. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup oil. Sprinkle with oregano, sugar, and salt. Bake 1 hour.
2. Using tongs, turn tomatoes over. Bake 1 hour longer. Turn tomatoes over again. Bake until deep red and very tender, transferring tomatoes to plate when soft (time will vary, depending on ripeness of tomatoes), about 15 to 45 minutes longer. (As I used canned tomatoes and I wanted to make sure they were done and ready I only cooked the first 2 hours and skipped the last flip)
3. Layer tomatoes in medium bowl, sprinkling garlic and parsley over each layer; reserve oil in baking dish. Drizzle tomatoes with reserved oil, adding more if necessary to cover.
4. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Cover; chill up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
5. Serve with aged goat cheese and toasted baguette slices.

It's recommended to make these with fresh plum tomatoes, but as they aren't in season I decided to use high-quality canned tomatoes. San Marzano are the best. They worked very well and allow you to cut back a bit on the cooking time. When I try them with fresh tomatoes I plan to follow the cooking times exactly.

The tomatoes were so tender, sweet and easy that I know I will make them time and again. They were also a perfect treat to tide the boy over after a long day in the cold at work before dinner. Stay tuned for what I'm making for dinner!