Roasted Tomatoes

It will soon be time to give up on covering the tomato plants and let the cool nights take over. Until then, we have a bumper crop of tomatoes to deal with. The salsa has been made, many platters of bruschetta have been eaten, and it's time to put some tomatoes away in the freezer. 

The best, and tastiest way, I think, is to roast them. Round up as many tomatoes as you wish.  Wash and dry them. Slice them in half or cut them into chunks if they are larger, and scatter them onto a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss the tomatoes with your hands to get everything covered with oil.

Pop them into a 400 degree oven and bake for 30-45 minutes until they have started to shrivel a bit but still look juicy. Place the sheet on a wire rack to cool, then transfer the tomatoes to freezer bags, making sure to add in all the wonderful juices left on the tray.

ROASTED TOMATOES               Printable Version

Later this winter we will add these luscious little beauties to pizza sauce, chili, and spaghetti sauce, and enjoy the fresh taste of Summer any time we want.