Having found our farmhouse kitchen filled with tomatoes (translation: tomatoes on windowsills, overflowing from baskets, and rolling off counter tops) I decided yesterday it was really time I did something with them.
After all, how could anyone not LOVE a garden-fresh tomato on a hearty BLT sandwich or in homemade salsa? So while our garden bounty has been wonderful, we did have a bit of a dilemma … we were getting overrun. So here’s what I did … I roasted them in the oven.
Trust me, the aroma of the roasting tomatoes was wonderful, and really, there’s no way to mess up the recipe … I’d say it’s practically impossible!
– Quarter as many tomatoes as will fill a 13×9-inch pan. There’s no need to core or peel the tomatoes, although I did slice off the stem end.
– Add pressed garlic to taste.
– Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper; stir to coat tomatoes.
– Pop baking pan into a 400 degree F oven for 45 minutes.
– After the tomatoes have roasted, spoon them into a blender and puree. Add 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning and additional salt to taste; blend to combine.
– Add a quartered onion, and blend once again.
That’s it … you’re done!
The recipe can easily be changed to suit your tastes. I skipped the Italian seasoning because I had fresh herbs … I added snips of oregano, garlic chives, rosemary, basil, and French tarragon, then let the blender chop them up into the sauce. I also added a pinch of sugar … just because I always think homemade tomato sauce needs a bit of sweetness.
Pour the sauce into freezer jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace, and place in the freezer.
And so this winter, when we find ourselves snowed in, I’ll be able to pull out the savory taste of summertime.
