Oven-Roasted Tomatoes with Herbs and Garlic

gather ye rosebuds (or tomatoes) while ye may.

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes 

with 

Herbs and Garlic

You won't get away from me that easily, Summer.

I don't want to panic anyone, but summer is drawing to a close. Soon fresh tomatoes will be nothing but shiny memories for us to cling to during the cold, gray winter months. So now is the time to go crazy, people. Throw caution to the wind and eat tomatoes by the fistful, morning, noon and night. And when you're not eating them, you should be preserving, preserving, preserving. My suggestion to you? 

Make and eat a batch of these every day until you can't stand it anymore. 

Then make more. 

Raw tomatoes, in olive oil and topped with garlic and
herbs, ready for the oven.

 

Recipe notes: 

The roasting concentrates the flavor of the tomatoes, making them incredibly rich and slightly smoky. Use whatever seasonal herbs you have on hand; thyme, rosemary, oregano and basil are my favorites. Eat them with crusty bread, toss them into a tomato sauce or use them to amp up the flavor of a summer ratatouille. Pack extra tomatoes in small jars (I used 4 oz mason jars), drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top and seal tightly. You can use any variety of tomato in this recipe. Just be aware that moisture levels vary quite a bit by variety, so cooking time isn't concrete. Smaller tomatoes can be halved; larger cut into segments. Be sure to use a large baking dish, 

giving the tomatoes enough space to roast without touching. 

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

1 lb tomatoes (roughly 4-5 medium)

1 large clove of garlic, sliced thin

2Tbsp olive oil

2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme or oregano

sea salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Drizzle 2Tbsp of olive oil into an anodized aluminum, glass 

or other non reactive baking dish.

Wash and core tomatoes, slicing them into halves or quarters, 

depending on their size. 

Place tomatoes, cut side down, in oiled baking dish.

Scatter herb sprigs and garlic slices over tomatoes.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Roast for approximately 2 hours. 

Cooking time will vary by tomato type, so keep an eye on them.

The finished tomatoes should be softened and wrinkled, with darkened edges. 

They will keep for a week in the fridge and about 6 months in the freezer. 

Roasted and packed for the freezer, ready to brighten any winter day.