I discovered a new culinary delight some years back, roasting tomatoes. You can’t believe how sweet and good they taste.
The cooking time is quite lengthy, but it just oven time. They cook in their own juice so to speak.
The first time I made them, I used 3 plum tomatoes cut in half. I cooked them, took them out of the oven and they smelled so good, I ate all 6 halves and was looking for more.
They can be used on numerous foods. I have used them as the first layer on pizza dough, instead of tomato sauce. I make all kinds of grilled sandwiches and add the roasted tomatoes. They give a whole new dimension to a sandwich. They are so juicy and taste like nothing else. You can tell I am really hooked on them.
it excites me when such a simple fare, that not only tastes great, but is also one of the healthiest fruits around, can add such a magnitude of additional flavor to some of your simplest dishes.
I have used them to make pan gravies, Mexican rice (boy is that delicious), broiled fish. I have tossed them in my shrimp scampi. I also use them for making spaghetti sauce, when I have the time, instead of canned tomato paste.
I use plum tomatoes, also called Roma tomatoes, for this roasted tomatoes recipe. They have a high solid content and seem to be sweeter when cooked. They have a concentrated flavor, because they have less juice. Plum tomatoes, if you don’t know, are the smaller tomatoes shaped like an egg.
If you want a great and flavorful appetizer, just before taking the tomatoes out of the oven, spread a little shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
ROASTING TOMATOES RECIPE
Ingredients
- 3 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 tbl olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 tsp dried (or 1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves)
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°. Cover a low-rimmed baking dish with foil. Place cut tomatoes on baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with thyme leaves and season with kosher salt.
- Roast until tomatoes begin to collapse, brushing occasionally with pan juices, about 90 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes prior to serving.
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