Roasted Tomatoes
This is my favourite way to roast tomatoes in the oven, you will make garden tomatoes amazing and store bought tomatoes tolerable. Romas work best but you can use any tomato. I use the same method for cherry tomatoes, just watch and maybe reduce the time. If you are roasting heirloom tomatoes, it's really important to leave space between them as they tend to be more watery and they will boil in their juices rather than roast.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut Roma or cherry tomatoes in half, large heirloom should be evenly and thickly sliced. Drizzle the pan with olive oil before placing tomatoes cut side up, drizzle more olive oil over them.
Sprinkle with salt, pour a good amount of balsamic vinegar, over and around tomatoes, sprinkle basil, and sliced garlic over the tomatoes. Roast until they are softened and slightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes but watch. You want the balsamic vinegar to become jammy but not burn.
At this point you can keep roasted tomatoes in the fridge for up to a month if submerged under a layer of olive oil or you can freeze them. This makes the best tomato sauce and a great way to preserve your garden produce for winter.
Oven Dried Tomatoes
·
Roma tomatoes,
quartered lengthwise or cherry cut in half
·
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
·
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
·
kosher salt and cracked black
pepper
Preheat oven to 165°F or use a dehydrator. Line a 15x10x1-inch
baking pan with parchment paper. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer on
parchment paper. Sprinkle with thyme, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Bake for 5
1/2 to 6 1/2 hours or until leathery but not brittle, turning pan after 2
hours.
(For a dehydrator, place tomatoes in a
single layer on mesh-lined dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 135°F for 11 to 12
hours or until leathery but not brittle.) Remove tomatoes as they finish drying
while allowing the remaining tomatoes to continue drying. Cool to room
temperature.
Pack dried tomatoes in resealable plastic
freezer bags, leaving a small amount of space for expansion. Freeze for up to 9
months. Thaw before using.
Bruschetta
·
8 Roma (plum) tomatoes,
diced
·
2 green onions chopped
·
⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
·
2 cloves garlic, minced
·
1 Tbsp. balsamic glaze
·
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
·
1 tsp. olive oil
·
¼ tsp. kosher salt
·
¼ tsp. sugar
·
¼ tsp. of bruschetta seasoning
·
1 loaf French bread, toasted
and sliced
When I make this, I don’t measure and cherry tomatoes work very well here. Place
chopped tomatoes in a strainer over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let the
liquid drain out for about an hour. Reserve the liquid for a salad dressing or
soup. Place the raw minced garlic in a strainer, pour boiled water over it and
let drain into the sink. This takes the raw edge off the garlic. In a bowl,
toss together the drained tomatoes, green onions, basil, and garlic. Mix in the
balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, olive oil, sugar, seasoning and pepper. Serve
on toasted bread slices.
The BLT
The best tomato for this adventure is a Purple Cherokee and
the best time to eat this is in August when the tomatoes are ripe on the vine.
The cheese is optional but an asset. I prefer a smoked cheddar. The bacon needs
to be of a good quality and nitrate free. The lettuce needs to be buttercrunch picked that morning from the garden. I have always been a fan of the tasty
zip of miracle whip since I was a child but I really like to add an herb oil or
pesto when I have them. Finally, a nice crusty sourdough is my preferred vessel
for this voyage.
Olive Oil Dough Savory Tart
I love to use this dough to make a tomato
tart but you can use it for any savory tart. Makes one large or 6 small tarts.
·
1 ½ cups/ 200 g unbleached all-purpose
flour
·
1 tsp. fine sea salt
·
1 tsp. sugar
·
1 tsp. baking powder
·
¼ cup/ 80 g olive oil
·
2 large eggs
Fork-sift all of the dry ingredients in a
medium bowl. Make a well in the centre and add oil and eggs. Wisk oil and eggs
together and gradually draw in dry ingredients until dough forms together.
Scrape contents onto lightly floured
surface. Fold dough over itself 4-5 times. Do not overwork.
Wrap in plastic and keep at a cool room
temperature if using within a few hours or keep in fridge if using in 2-3 days.
For a Tomato tart, add thinned goat cheese with milk to make it easier to spread and a layer sliced tomatoes, sprinkle with herbs and grated parmesan cheese, bake it at 400°F for 30 minutes.
Adapted from Nick Malgieri’s, ‘Pastry’
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