As the temperatures are cooling off, the tomatoes are starting to get smaller and smaller. I have found the best thing to do with these small tomatoes that struggle to ripen at the end of the season is to oven roast them. For these, I simply split the tomatoes and took my finger and cleaned out the seeds leaving only the meatier part of the tomatoes. Then I placed them on a baking sheet coated with olive oil.
I then drizzled the tomatoes in olive oil, basil and garlic powder.Then sprinkled sea salt over them. I stirred the tomatoes to evenly distribute the spices and oil and placed them skin side down on the tray. Once they are all placed with the skin down then I placed them in a preheated 200 degree oven and let them slowly bake for about 5 hours.
After about 5 hours they will start to appear darker and the moisture evaporates from them and the sugars in the tomatoes caramelize.
Then I take the trays out of the oven and allow them to cool slightly. Then take a fork and you should be able to simply separate the tomato pulp from the skin. Then I took a spatula and got up as much of the herbs and olive oil left in the trays and added the tomato pulp, herbs and oil together.
This makes the best addition to a spaghetti sauce that you can imagine. My family likes this just mixed with some warm spaghetti and sprinkled with some good cheese. It makes a great topping to Italian bread also.
Blessings from The Holler
The Canned Quilter
yum! I'll try this today with the cherry tomatoes. My paste tomatoes are just coming in now but the cherry tomatoes are coming in great guns. Wonder if there is a pressure canner time guide for tomatoes in oil? I am tight with freezer space, like to leave a bunch available for deer and turkey season.
ReplyDeleteSorry they can not be canned that I am aware of.
DeleteI just froze 8 pkgs of these yesterday! Great minds think alike? I did this last year with the last of the crop and it was by far my fav of the whole season! Robin says they taste just like candy!!
ReplyDeleteOMG girl it is nice to see you back with us!Last I talked to you was when you had the shingles : (
DeleteThis is my favorite way to use tomatoes!!
ReplyDeleteSo you bake the cherry tomatoes and then freeze them for addition to winter meals, CQ?
ReplyDeleteYou know I have bookmarked this, CQ. :o)
Thank you!
I like that the cherry tomatoes turn out like candy. I definitely want to try that!
I am new to oven roasting tomatoes, and I was amazed at how much richer the flavor is.
ReplyDeleteI have a question, after you bake the cherry and pear tomatoes do you remove the skin and seeds before freezing? They sure would taste great over pasta right out of the oven.
ReplyDeleteOn the larger tomatoes I remove the skin. On the cherry/pear tomatoes I simply throw them into plastic bags once dried and we tend to eat them like that as snacks straight out of the bag. I freeze the bags.
DeleteThanks for sharing these directions. I've wanted to try this for some time - sadly, my tomatoes got the blight and died so I'll have to save this for next year!
ReplyDeleteGina