Plum tomatoes ready for the oven

"SUN DRIED" TOMATOES (OVEN ROASTED)

Oven roasted tomatoes can be made any time tomatoes are in season, but we like to wait for a cool day in early autumn, when we can turn on the oven and fill the house with the smell of roasted fresh tomatoes. They are best made with plum (a.k.a. 'Roma') tomatoes as they have less moisture, but any tomatoes can be used. Red is classic, but all colours work great too. The roasting intensifies and sweetens the tomato flavour, and you can use them anywhere you would use fresh tomatoes (plus oodles of other yummy recipes).

 

Plum tomatoes -about 20 medium (1½ quarts) cover a cookie sheet.

1 tbsp olive oil
pinch salt

Wash and halve plum tomatoes lengthwise. Place in a big pile on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and salt. Toss until tomatoes are lightly covered with oil, place in a single layer, cut side up, and roast in oven until they just start to char. The tomatoes may be roasted to varying degrees, depending on how you want them: from soft and juicy to very dry and leathery (low temps work best).

The higher the oven temperature, the faster the drying. As a general rule, the tomatoes will take an hour at 375°, or you can cook them overnight at 200°.

FYI: The green tomatoes in the photo are an heirloom variety called "Green Sausage" -they are ripe!