Very generously coat bottom of low sided baking sheet(s) with olive oil. I use sturdy cookie sheets and lots of olive oil.
Slice tomatoes in half, end to end (lengthwise) and place cut side down on the well oiled pan.
When the pan is full of cut tomatoes, turn them over so that the cut side is now upwards. Sprinkle with a little salt, freshly ground pepper, dried onion, dried garlic (or use crushed fresh if you have the time), chopped up rosemary and thyme to taste. I like to use quite a bit of the herbs. I find dried garlic powder tends not to burn or become acrid but experimentation with either is good.
Put into a 275F to 290F oven and slow roast for about 3-6 plus hours, depending on how juicy and big they are and how dry you want them to be .I aim for still being tender and not completely dried out and definitely not charred. If they start to get burnt, turn down the oven temperature. Patience will be well rewarded and your kitchen will be filled with a divine aroma.
They are superb right out of the oven out of hand or on fresh bread or toast.
I also freeze them in small tubs and put them in a blender for a truly incredible pasta sauce or soup base. As an appy, they are amazing in taste and appearance when placed on a plate and then a round of goat cheese placed on top so that a bit of each can be spread on your slice of baguette.
Why not have some corn on the cob the day you roast the tomatoes so you can enjoy the colours of the bright buttered yellow corn next to the warm, sweet, bright red tomatoes. Put some green and or black olives on your plate and you have a gorgeous canvas you can also eat.
The slow roasting keeps the colours vibrant and brings out a deep, mellow sweetness.
In the unlikely event you find them too sweet, you could always drizzle reduced balsamic vinegar over them. I just buy regular balsamic and boil it in a saucepan until it is reduced by over a half and a bit syrupy. Yum, and good in salads or on any vegetable, fish or meat as a quick sauce and flavor hit.
I’d be really interested in your opinion and how this really slow roasting of tomatoes works for you. Pasta sauce made any other way now seems unthinkable.
