Oven Dried Tomatoes

Steps

1. 1Preheat oven to 200ºF. Halve each tomato lengthwise through the stem. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, side by side on a rimmed cookie sheet. (Tomatoes should not be touching one another.) Sprinkle each tomato lightly with salt.
2. 2Place in the oven and bake for six to eight to twelve hours—tomatoes should be shriveled, but not dry and brittle. The tomatoes should still feel flexible when removed from the oven. Remove tomatoes from the oven, and let cool completely before storing. Store in a glass jar. Moisten with olive oil if tomatoes are too dry. The tomatoes will keep indefinitely.
3. 3For the toasts, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Slice the bread into ¾-inch thick rounds, drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden (or fry in a skillet), about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Top each bread slice with a piece of cheese, a few oven-dried tomatoes and a few small leaves of basil. Taste. Season with a pinch more salt if necessary and a splash of vinegar if you wish. Serve.