Roasted Tomatoes

Cooking spray

9 plum tomatoes, halved

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare tomatoes, coat a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Place tomatoes, cut sides up, on baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and garlic. Bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours or until very soft and slightly shriveled, turning occasionally.

(I don’t turn them and the recipe is forgiving. After a while I quit measuring and they are still delicious and easy.)

Here is the source: https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/crispy-salmon-with-risotto-slow-roasted-tomatoes

It was in Cooking Light many years ago.

I take my roasted tomatoes and mound them on wax paper squares, Then I twist the wax paper square closed. I freeze all the squares on a cookie sheet, once frozen I chuck them all into a ziploc freezer bag. This lets me quickly defrost however many clumps I need. Often I just want one for flavor boost in sauce or soup.

I use basil not thyme.

My own made-up recipe after several trials:

Spray a large roasting pan. Peel tomatoes, remove core, and cut into quarters. This also works to mix in halved cherry tomatoes. Just mix any kind of tomatoes, doesn’t matter. I usually layer a bunch of basil leaves (removed from stems) on bottom and more on top. Add slices of sweet onion, kosher salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast about 25-30 minutes at 425. Stir and continue roasting another 25 minutes. Remove and let cool. Strain juice from tomatoes and place tomatoes into a large bowl. I then use my immersion blender to blend and then put into bags, seal and freeze.

I do not like to add garlic until I am ready to cook the sauce for serving. It seems to give a more bitter taste if I cook and freeze (just my opinion), so I like to add the garlic and other fresh herbs later. If you want to add oregano while roasting, feel free, we just aren’t big oregano fans.

Thank you for the recipes! I will be trying them out in the next day or two.

Another thing you might be interested in making is pasta sauce. We did not put out any tomatoes this year, but usually do. Of course you always have tons at a certain point. I make pasta sauce and freeze. So good!!

I think using extra heavy duty aluminum foil is important I hate cleaning the pan and I roast them until they are kind of black

Each year I buy a bushel or two of tomatoes (my garden doesn't produce that much) from a farm and roast tomatoes to freeze for tomato basil soup, lasagne, soups, etc. for the winter.

I cut the tomatoes in halves or fourths depending on size, place in baking pan or dish, single layer, pour fresh best grade virgin olive oil over, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, coat, and roast for 5-6 hours at 200 or 225 degrees.

The flavor is fantastic--I prefer the vacuum pack freeze method.