While local vine ripened tomatoes are the glorious reward of summer harvests, later in the year their memory is a glum reminder of colder temperatures in parts where fresh tomatoes with actual flavour become a longed for dream of warmer climes. Enter, Oven Roasted Tomatoes!
Summer in Canada can seem like a fleeting season. One of the ways I have learned to brighten up my spirits when the weather is less than optimal is to take some time to preserve summer's bounty as best I can. While I don't usually find I have the time, or frankly, the will, to do proper canning, there are a few other efficient ways I have found to keep summer's flavours alive for later on in the year.
One of my favourite approaches, inspired by some dear friends in the Muskokas, is to make a few batches of these oven roasted tomatoes. I usually roast up a double batch, enough to enjoy in the moment, while making sure to leave leftovers to freeze for my grateful future self.
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Why roast tomatoes?
While a fresh, ripe tomato is reward enough in and of itself, something magical happens when tomatoes are roasted. Their flesh becomes concentrated and caramelized, adding profound depth to both the savoury and sweet flavours inherent in the tomatoes. When tossed with olive oil, fresh herbs, and a sizable pile of garlic cloves, Oven Roasted Tomatoes ... well, I can hardly think of a better fate for a tomato!
The ideal tomatoes for roasting
With less seed and water content compared to other varieties of tomatoes, readily available Roma tomatoes, or plum tomatoes as they are also known, are the perfect candidate for roasting at any time of year. Less water content means a "meatier" roasted tomato, if you pardon the expression, that can be dried down a little during the roasting process to concentrate the flavours while still retaining some plump moisture.
Just 5 minutes of preparation!
Requiring only a few minutes of quick preparation, followed by a 30 minute stint in a hot oven, Oven Roasted Tomatoes yield trays of slightly wrinkled yet still juicy, herbed tomatoes, accompanied by a bounty of soft roasted garlic.
When preparing the tomatoes, you can cut them into graceful lengthwise quarters, which do look charming laid out in rows in your roasting pan, or cut them into hefty chunks and tumble them into your roasting pan with abandon, as is your preference.
The 30 minute roasting time yields the ideal roasted tomato texture that is deeply cooked and caramelized, intensified and juicy. However if you are planning on using these tomatoes in something like a sandwich or another preparation where you want the concentrated flavour provided by roasting and even less moisture, you can let the tomatoes continue on for another 10 -15 minutes, keeping an eye on things and pulling out your roasting tray when the time is right.
To gild the lily, after the roasted tomatoes have been scooped out of the pan, you will find the most luscious and deeply flavoured oil, a treasure that you must absolutely collect, either used separately or spooned on top of the tomatoes before eating, refrigeration, or freezing. Or, I highly suggest, sopped up with some fresh bread as a cook’s treat before anyone is the wiser!
Seasonal variations
In summer and fall, I regularly make pans of these tomatoes to freeze as the most helpful meal base for everything from soups to stews. In the colder months, when the tomatoes may be a bit less flavourful than their summer cousins, I may sprinkle a teaspoon of granulated sugar on the tomatoes before roasting to increase the sweetness factor a little bit - taste your tomatoes before roasting and see if you think they would benefit from this approach.
Flavour variations
You can absolutely play with the herbs you use when preparing these tomatoes; sometimes I use only salt, a grind of fresh black pepper, olive oil, and garlic, and omit the herbs entirely. This simple version is a bit more all purpose, working for practically any dish I might have in mind later on, even if I don't know what that is yet. Sometimes I might use a bit of flavoured salt to subtly vary the seasoning, such as a salt infused with herbs de provence, lavender, or chili.
In other cases when I know I want herbal flavouring, I will use whatever herbs I have on hand, or growing in the garden, depending on the season. Any woody herb from rosemary, oregano, thyme, to savoury will work, as will slivers of green onion, garlic chives, or even fresh chili peppers. Delicate herbs that are best used fresh, such as basil or mint, can be stirred into the tomatoes after they have roasted, cooled, and are ready to be stored.
How to eat Oven Roasted Tomatoes
If you're hungry, Oven Roasted Tomatoes are readily mounded with gusto on top of toasted bread, warm out of the oven or later on at room temperature, perhaps accompanied by a dollop of hummus or some shards of cheese as is your pleasure.
For use in other recipes, consider using Oven Roasted Tomatoes:
- to make a quick pasta dinner, tossed with cooked pasta, some wilted spinach, and the cheese of your choice (dairy or vegan)
- to create a luscious sandwich, paired with a sturdy bread, a slather of pesto, and a mound of fresh arugula
- as the base for any stew or soup where tomatoes are called for
My Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup with Pan-Crisped Croutons can be made in a snap if you have a batch of Oven Roasted Tomatoes already stashed in the fridge or freezer.
Storage
To save Oven Roasted Tomatoes for up to a week, wait until fully cooled, scoop into containers (making sure to scrape up all of that luscious oil left over in the pan), then stash in the fridge for use later in the week.
Oven Roasted Tomatoes are the ideal candidate for safely freezing in glass jars. Simply pack the roasted and cooled tomatoes into jars, making sure not to fill above the top fill line, and then just pop into the freezer. You'll be glad you did!
Need more tomato inspiration?
Oven Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1.25 kilo ripe roma or plum tomatoes (approx 2.75 lbs) 12-16 roma tomatoes depending on size
- 2 heads garlic (16-20 cloves) cloves separated and peeled
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, or seasoned salt to taste
- 1 handful mixed fresh herbs woody herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, and savoury, and/or add ins such as slivers of green onion, garlic chives, or fresh chili peppers, or soft herbs like basil and mint * See note
- optional a teaspoon of granulated cane sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450℉ and line two baking pans with parchment paper.
- Cut your tomatoes into long quarters or big chunks depending on your preference.
- Arrange your cut tomatoes on the baking sheet and scatter the garlic cloves and herbs, if using, over top. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If using sugar to increase the sweetness of winter tomatoes, lightly sprinkle the sugar over top of the tomatoes.
- Roast for 30 minutes for wrinkly but still juicy tomatoes, or 40-45 minutes for a drier roasted tomato, checking regularly after the 30 minute mark for desired doneness.
- Eat hot or warm from the pan, making sure to scrape up and use the remaining flavoured oil left after you remove the tomatoes. Or if using later, allow to fully cool, and pack into containers to refrigerate for a few days, or freeze for longer storage.
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