Slow Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
A number of years back when I had a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes, I came up with this recipe. Slow roasting gives the tomatoes intense flavor, similar to sun dried tomatoes. Roasting summer tomatoes is a good way to keep the flavors of summer going well into fall, and it will give those typically flavorless store-bought cherry tomatoes a jolt of flavor.
Slow roasting cherry tomatoes is simple, and the tomatoes have limitless uses. You can purée them into a paste, toss them with pasta or use them in salads. They’re also great with mozzarella and basil in a Caprese salad, or to eat them by themselves. They are sweet and addictive like candy!
They last in the fridge for a week or more and also can be packed tightly in olive oil and stored in the freezer.
Last week at the Vino in the Village I paired slow roasted tomatoes with Beecher’s Flagship cheese and fresh sliced Macrina herbed baguette. The bold flavors paired perfectly with the Belmonte Cellars Petite Sirah Syrah blend. When I first sampled this wine, I wanted a big bowl of spaghetti. This tasty appetizer paired perfectly with the flavor of the wine and its moderate tannins.
- 2-3 pints cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano or basil
- Slice cherry tomatoes in half and toss with oil and seasonings. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet and place in a 275 degree oven. Roast, shaking pan every now and then for up to 2 1/2 hours. They are done when they are shriveled and somewhat dry. Keep an eye on the tomatoes to make sure they don’t burn.
