6 large ripe but not overripe tomatoes, cut
crosswise in half
5 tbsp good-quality olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil; or 1 tsp dried
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary; or 1 tsp
dried
Method :
Preheat the
oven to 425 degrees. Place the tomatoes in a medium-size roasting pan or
ovenproof skillet and sprinkle with the oil, salt, pepper, and herbs.
Roast the tomatoes for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300
degrees and continue roasting until the tomatoes are soft but not
falling apart, 20-30 minutes longer. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Makes 6
servings
In early
September, when the garden is at its peak, we are blessed with rows of
plump and juicy red tomatoes. After we have eaten our fill (can you ever
really get your fill of fresh vine-ripened tomatoes?), we make a huge
batch of sauce to can for the winter. But we save the biggest, most
promising-looking tomatoes to roast.
Roasting is a
wonderful way to bring out the essence of tomatoes. The tomatoes are
sliced in half and sprinkled with good olive oil, sea salt, a grinding
of black pepper, and some fresh basil and rosemary from the garden. Let
them roast until your whole kitchen is bursting with their rich,
seductive smell, and have a crusty loaf of bread ready. Roasted tomatoes
are also a great base for pasta sauce or can be cut into small chunks
and served on top of ice, chicken, or fish dishes.