ROASTED TOMATOES

Hey! You guys were supposed to remind me about posting this recipe, and now we've almost let the tomato season slip by us! Never mind. This recipe is best made with plum or paste tomatoes, and unlike the slicers, you can get good plum tomatoes over much of the year (don't ask me why, for I don't know). So here's my recipe, adapted from one by Cafe Lago:


1 cup olive oil, divided
2 lbs. plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 1/2 tsps. dried oregano (I use an Italian spice blend)
3/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 250 F. Pour half of the oil in a 9x13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange tomatoes cut side up. Drizzle with remaining oil. Sprinkle with oregano, sugar, and salt. Bake one hour, turn tomatoes with tongs, then bake one hour longer. Turn again, then bake until deep red and very tender, 15 - 45 minutes. Transfer to plate. When cool enough to handle, gently peel off skins and discard.

For Pasta Sauce: Transfer about half of the tomatoes and some of the oil to a serving bowl and gently chop with a dull knife. Add one or two cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp. minced parsley and mix well. Cook one pound of penne (or pasta of your choice) according to package directions. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the tomatoes in the serving bowl, plus enough of the water to loosen the sauce, and toss to coat. Season to taste, and top with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

The rest of the tomatoes can be refrigerated in their oil for up to five days. I like to brush a slice of baguette or ciabatta with some of the oil, toast it, then either smear it with a bit of goat cheese and top it with a spoonful of the chopped tomatoes. Or, skip the goat cheese, put some of the tomatoes on the toast, top those with a fried egg, and then grate a little Parmigiano over that. Yummalicious! This was a fantastic way to use up the Juliett tomatoes I grew this year, which were so prolific. The flavored oil can also be added to vegetables or used for sauteing just about anything. Let me know if you come up with any other good ways to use them. Enjoy!