Olive oil-braised tomatoes

Olive oil-braised tomatoes. Photo / Babiche Martens

Serves 6

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 oxheart or large vine-ripened tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp caster sugar
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs of thyme
Bread to serve

1 Preheat oven to 160C. Pour the olive oil into an oven-proof baking dish. Remove the cores from the tomatoes with the point of a sharp knife and arrange in the dish.

2 Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Place around the tomatoes then season well. Sprinkle over the sugar.

3 Add the bay leaves and thyme then bake for 15 minutes. Turn and spoon over the oil then continue to cook for a further 30 minutes or until tender. Serve with crusty bread.