Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

Summer is coming to an end...hurry and preserve all you can! Especially tomatoes. Because tomatoes at the grocery store during a Minnesota winter taste like mealy, mushy, watery, unflavorful disgusting-ness. And that is something you do not want. Ever.

The term recipe is a loose term here. Not really a recipe at all, I'd say. More of a technique, a method, a fun way to make your house smell delicious beyond compare. There are no measurements in this recipe, which you may love or hate. Its one of those toss this in, toss that in kind of thing. You just have to feel the tomato love.

Don't they look pretty? Don't you want to eat them right now? Make sure to squeeze out all the juices and seeds and lay them skin-side down.

 

 

I don't remember exactly how many tomatoes I used...probably around 8 to 10. I think I used 1 clove of garlic and 2 large sprigs of oregano. The house literally smelled like a pizzeria during roasting. It was divine. I wish that aroma could be bottled up into a candle or something.... or maybe not. Just a jar I could open occasionally and whiff.

 

 

I put these tomatoes in the oven around 11:00 in the morning. I took them out at about 8:00 at night. That would be 9 hours (imagine me using my fingers for counting here). Nine hours of roasting magic. Nine hours of beautiful pizzeria aroma. Nine hours of no peeking in the oven. Which would be near impossible for a person such as me, but I didn't have a problem with that, only because I was gone all day. Otherwise I would've opened the door at least 126 times. 

  

Printable Recipe Here

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

prep time: 20 minutes

cook time: 7 - 9 hours 

Any amount of tomatoes

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh herbs, like oregano, tarragon or thyme

Fresh garlic, smashed

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Core and quarter tomatoes with a sharp knife. Into a medium-sized bowl squeeze each tomato quarter to release the juices and seeds. Discard juice or save for tomato juice, sauce or bloody mary mix. 

Place tomato quarters skin side down onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with tin foil. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Place fresh herbs and smashed garlic onto cookie sheet. Toss to combine and fully coat vegetables with oil. 

Place on middle rack in oven and roast for 7 to 9 hours until dark red, blackened around the edges and fragrant. Remove from oven and cool. 

Place tomatoes, garlic and herbs in a jar and top off jar with olive oil to keep in the fridge for 1 week. Or lay flat on a cookie sheet and place in freezer until froze, move into a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 1 year.