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, in homemade salsa, or our recipe with French bread and homemade ricotta!
However; back to our tomato dilemma...we were getting overrun. So here's what I did...inspired by this terrific blog, From Beyond my Kitchen Window, I roasted them in the oven. (check out her site...she has some of the best recipes!)
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!
Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce
-Quarter as many tomatoes as will fill a 13"x9" 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 oven for 45 minutes.
-After the tomatoes have roasted, spoon them into a blender and puree. Add 3 tablespoons of 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.
And there you are...pour the sauce into freezer jars, leaving 1/2-inch head-space, and place in the freezer.
Now this winter, when we're snowed in and Little Man asks for his favorite dinner of spaghetti, I'll be able to pull out a taste of summertime.
Mary, this recipe sounds wonderful. Just the thing to use up all those pesky tomatoes!
ReplyDeleteAnd I see more tomatoes coming on the vines now with our warmer weather...they're destined for this recipe!
DeleteNow that just sounds and looks yummy! What a great idea for an over abundance of tomatoes.... Going to have to keep this one for next season. Blesssings!
ReplyDeleteOh the aroma was amazing! Actually, they might be good straight from the oven tossed cooked pasta and sprinkled with grated cheese. Hmmm, might have to give it a try!
DeleteYou had me at "no need to core or peel" :) Sounds wonderful! We have several tomatoes, but they are a tad sunburned from the heat. Trying to rescue as many as I can. I love the freezer option too. Thank you so much - I will try this one! -Tammy
ReplyDeleteTammy, that's what caught my eyes too! I dread the "peel and core" directions. This recipe is tasty and you'd never know I skipped that step! If you only have a few tomatoes, just roast them and store in smaller freezer containers.
DeleteYep, I ditto what Tammy says - you had me at no coring or peeling!! I was going to make some sauce today, the traditional way - boil quick, peel, and core. I'm going to try this now. I also like the freezer option - so much easier than the boil bath! I only have a few romas at the moment, and those were bought from the store, as mine haven't started turning red yet. But soon, perhaps next week I hope.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this wonderful recipe option!!
You're more than welcome! Our tomatoes have just started to turn too...it's been a cool summer and the heat's really only come on the last few weeks. It's a super-easy recipe...I think you'll like it!
DeleteJust wondering, could you use freezer bags instead of jars?
ReplyDeleteSure...that's what I'll be using today! Just be sure to leave a little room for the sauce to expand. You'll also need to remove most of the air from the bag once it's filled. A nifty trick is to close the bag, but leave just enough room to slip a straw through. By sucking on the straw, you remove extra air that's trapped inside the bag. Then, just remove the straw and tightly seal the bag. Place them in he coldest part of your freezer and use within a year.
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