When I was a child everyone in my family despised tomatoes. Fresh, flavorful tomatoes were rare treats — my culinary unicorn. Most often I was left with the limp, mayo-smeared slices removed from my parents’ hoagies. I didn’t love the mayo, but I would gladly take those pale tomato slices, clean them up, and pile them on my own sandwich. You do what you can.
One summer changed everything. My mom gave me cherry tomato seeds to plant in her tiny backyard. We tended them together and watched as a tall, productive tomato plant appeared. At harvest time I ate those little fruits straight from the vine by the handful. They tasted more vivid and satisfying than any candy bar.
My affection for tomatoes stuck. I put red sauce on almost anything and now wait for tomato season so I can enjoy them at their peak. To capture that summer brightness year-round, I slow-roast tomatoes with garlic and herbs in plenty of olive oil. The result is tomato confit: concentrated, sweet, and savory tomatoes preserved in oil. Gjusta in Los Angeles serves a memorable tomato confit that inspired me; it appears on sandwiches and wood-fired pizzas at their deli-style location and at Gjelina.
I adapted the Gjelina cookbook recipe and tuned it to my taste, adding generous basil, fresh oregano, and just enough rosemary to bridge summer and fall. My favorite use for this confit is Tomato Confit & Burrata Crostini: grilled baguette slices brushed with the savory confit oil, piled with silky burrata, spoonfuls of tomato confit, and finished with a drizzle of chili honey. It’s bright, rich, and a little messy in the best way.
2. Drop in boiling water for 30-60 seconds.
3. Blanche in ice water until cool.
4. Peel the tomato skins.
Recipe
Tomato Confit & Burrata Crostini
- Author: Baking The Goods
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 24
Description
Toasty grilled baguette topped with creamy burrata, deeply savory tomato confit, and a drizzle of sweet-spicy chili honey.
Ingredients
Chili Flake Honey
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, or to taste
Tomato Confit
- About 3 lb tomatoes (Roma or Early Girl work well)
- 2–3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 10 smashed garlic cloves
- ¾ cup fresh basil leaves
- 10 fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 fresh oregano sprigs
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil (plus more as needed to cover)
Crostini
- 1 fresh-baked baguette
- 1 (8 oz) container burrata
- 2 tablespoons chili or regular honey
- 12 fresh basil sprigs for garnish
Instructions
Chili Flake Honey
- Combine honey and red chili flakes in a small jar. Let sit for hours or longer so the flavors meld. Stored airtight, it keeps like regular honey.
Tomato Confit
- Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice-water bath in a bowl.
- Score an X in the bottom of each tomato with a paring knife. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 30–60 seconds, then transfer to the ice bath. Work in batches if needed.
- Once cool, peel the tomato skins—they should slip off easily.
- Halve or quarter the tomatoes, depending on size. Gently remove most seeds, leaving mostly the flesh.
- Place the tomatoes in a shallow baking dish and season liberally with salt. Scatter the smashed garlic, basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and red pepper flakes over them.
- Drizzle generously with olive oil and stir gently to coat.
- Bake until the tomatoes have shriveled and edges begin to brown, about 3–4 hours. Turn and stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
- Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month, keeping the tomatoes fully submerged in olive oil to prevent air exposure.
Crostini
- Heat a cast-iron grill pan, skillet, or prepare the grill over medium-high heat.
- Slice the baguette into ½” pieces and brush both sides lightly with the olive oil from the tomato confit.
- Grill or toast the slices until both sides are evenly charred and crisp.
- Top each slice with a spoonful of tomato confit, a generous dollop of burrata, and a drizzle of chili honey. Garnish with a basil leaf.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
This tomato confit is adapted from the Gjelina cookbook. The method concentrates summer tomato flavor and preserves it in oil for months. Keep the tomatoes submerged in oil and store in a sealed container for best shelf life.
Chili flake honey is versatile — try it over cheeses, crackers, roasted vegetables, or more crostini.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 crostini