This is the time of year my back porch is full of fresh, fabulous produce. My own garden is bursting as are the gardens of my friends and neighbors. To the question, “Could you use a few more tomatoes?” I always enthusiastically answer, “Yes!”
Tomatoes take on many flavors depending on how they are prepared. Although nothing in my book beats a fresh tomato salsa, slow roasted tomatoes take a close second. Not only is it the easiest thing to do with an excess of tomatoes, but the benefits can last for months (the sauce freezes beautifully).
Another plus, the smell of roasting tomatoes, onions and garlic fill the house with a heavenly aroma – especially if you throw in a cedar plank on the top rack.
Slow-Roasted Tomato Sauce
- 3-5 pounds tomatoes (any size or variety will work)
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 5-10 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup fresh basil, optional
Place onions and garlic in the bottom of a 9” x 11” casserole pan. Clean and halve tomatoes and put on top of the onions. Add salt, pepper and oil. Place in a 350º oven and roast 1 hour. Stir mixture and reduce temperature to 300º. Continue roasting until most of the liquid has evaporated, check every 20 minutes. The longer tomatoes roast, the sweeter they become.
Serve as is if you like a lot of texture in your sauce or use a stand or hand blender to puree mixture. Add fresh basil if desired.
Today’s Mexican Variation
- 3 pounds tomatoes (any size or variety will work)
- 2 pounds tomatillos
- 1 pound chili peppers
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 5-10 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
