My favorite thing about this time of the year is waking up first thing and heading outside to pick yet another crop of tomatoes. They appear to ripen miraculously overnight in our garden! I eat them like candy all day long but when our supply exceeds my snacking limits, it’s time to turn the oven on.
Think of oven roasted tomatoes as being half way between fresh and sun dried. We grow multiple varieties of cherry tomatoes, so I just toss them whole with some good extra virgin olive oil, fresh thyme and a handful of peeled whole garlic cloves. I sprinkle a bit of kosher salt over them also and then place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook in a 250 degree oven until they are collapsed and slightly charred – about 3-4 hours. If using larger heirloom tomatoes, you can cut them in half or into slices and follow the same process – increase your cooking time by 1-2 hours. I allow the tomatoes to cool completely before packing them into clean canning jars. I finish the process with a drizzle olive oil on top to cover them. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
What do we use them for?
- Olive bread crostini with whipped Chèvre & micro basil
- A big bowl of linguine slathered in chili & garlic olive oil, topped with Parmesan
- Slathered on warm toast with a poached egg on top
- The “t” in our late summer BLT
