Roasted Plum Tomatoes
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 3-4 hours | Total Time: 3-4 hours | Serves: 6
Roma tomatoes transform into something delicious, sweet, and flavorful. Eat them as-is or use for toppings on pizza or pasta.
So, what do you do with the abundance of the last tomatoes of the season?? I usually make a marinara and freeze, but today, I wanted to get my hands on some nice, sweet tomatoes in the beginning of fall before the ones in the store are not as flavorful as during the summer and early fall.
The usual veggies get a good roasting at my house… zucchini, squash, onions, broccoli, etc… but I wanted to focus on these beauties. I used a very good quality extra-virgin olive oil from Abingdon Olive Oil Company. Check out their website if you’re interested in excellent oils and vinegars.
I strongly suggest you use a very sharp knife for this. Tomatoes need a sharp blade to make this job go quicker; it’s easier than fighting with the skin of the tomatoes. (Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about!)
I tossed the halved tomatoes in the olive oil, chopped fresh garlic, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. About 1/3 of the halves received a sprinkling of fresh basil from our garden and some others a few pieces of serrano, also from our garden. Then the tomatoes take a good hibernation in the oven while the magic happens…
I liked the slow-roasting method for these tomatoes, but you can cook them at a higher temperature for a shorter amount of time. Since your heat will be more intense, keep an eye on them as not to burn them. You can use the same prep method, but preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Roast the tomatoes for 35 to 40 minutes and check on them. Continue to roast until your desired doneness and texture.
Also, you can add the basil after the roasting, if you prefer.
Roasted Plum Tomatoes
So, what do you do with the abundance of the last tomatoes of the season?? I usually make a marinara and freeze, but today, I wanted to get my hands on some nice, sweet tomatoes.
Equipment
- Large sheet pan
- Very sharp knife
Ingredients
- 15 plum tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons excellent-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped, optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh hot pepper, finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Cover a large cookie sheet with foil for easier clean up.
- Place tomato halves in a bowl large enough to hold them all.
- Add salt, black pepper, oil, and any optional ingredients. (If you would like, just sprinkle any optional ingredients over a few tomatoes instead of blending with the whole batch.)
- Place your coated tomatoes on a foil-lined rimmed cookie sheet, cut side up.
- If you have decided to add the optional ingredients, this is the time to sprinkle them over however many tomatoes you want. I chose to do this because I only wanted a few with the heat from the serranos.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven for 3 hours. Check for doneness. If you like how the tomatoes look, you can remove from the oven. If you’d like less moisture and a little more caramelizing in your tomatoes, place the pan back into the oven for another hour. (You do have the option to turn up the temp to speed up the process, but be sure to check them often. Char isn’t what you’re looking for.)
- Remove tomatoes from the oven and use or cool and store in refrigerator for 1 week.
- See “Notes” for delicious ways to use your tomatoes.
Notes
Once you get started on the cutting, you’ll see why I strongly encourage a very sharp knife. I wouldn’t use a big 12” chef knife. You need something easy to control to make precise cuts. Prepping goes quicker when you have a smaller knife to maneuver.
When you halve your tomatoes, cut out the green and white core. It’s not very big, so you’re not going to be wasting much, but definitely take the time to do it.
I used a rich, fragrant, extra-virgin olive oil. I wanted a stronger flavor than that of a neutral oil like avocado oil. An infused oil would be yummy here too! We love oils from Abingdon Olive Oil Company. They have excellent quality oils. We highly recommend them.
You can roast at a higher temperature for less amount of time if you prefer. I liked the low-and-slow method, but you can roast at 350 degrees for about an hour and check. You’re not wanting to dry them out like sun-dried tomatoes. You’re just softening and gently caramelizing them.
Now, to the best part...ways to use these gorgeous and yummy tomatoes:
- Simply as a side to accompany a protein.
- Serve at room temperature on a charcuterie board.
- Serve over pasta with a drizzle of more oil and fresh basil. Check out recipe here.
- Serve over pasta with a simple marinara.
- Use as a topping over pizza with dollops of ricotta cheese.
- Serve as a substitute of fresh tomato slices in a Caprese Salad.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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