Sprigs: Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Except for the German Johnsons, it's been a great year for tomatoes. My freezer has beaucoup bags of them to add to recipes this winter, and one-cup containers full of salsa.

Now the second wave is coming ripe and just in time a friend shared this recipe from a Raleigh newspaper. I've made 3 batches and they are soooo
tasty! 

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

1. Cut the tomatoes in quarters. (I did about 8 cups at a time.)

2. Sprinkle with 1 tsp kosher or sea salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.  I used fresh oregano, rosemary and basil--just whatever looks good.

3. Add approximately 1/4 olive oil, I used slightly less.



4. Stir, and using a slotted spoon to allow the juice to run through. (Save it to replace water in rice, steamed vegetables, or soup.)  Place them skin side down on a parchment line cookie sheet. I used aluminum foil sprayed lightly with canola oil.




5. Cook 3-4 hours at 250. I think it depends on the type of tomato. Roma would be on the lower end, my early variety were juicy and I let them cook 4 hours.  



I poured off the extra juice half-way through the cooking time adding it to what I'd already set aside. 

6. Cool, place into freezer bags, being careful to get as much air out as possible, and freeze. 

I added the broth and fruit to soup. They were so much tastier than ordinary frozen (or canned) tomatoes.


I sampled by sopping up the liquid left on the baking pan with  a chunk of hearty whole wheat bread. Then I spread the roasted pulp on it. Delectable!