Last weekend I was gifted a bag of garden tomatoes. They were a mix of different colors, shapes and sizes. Some were perfect, others had blemishes. They sat on the counter for a few days while I decided what to do with them.
I’ve read several articles about roasting tomatoes for sauce, but have never tried it myself. I must admit that I prefer the convenience of canned tomatoes, but with this bowl of fresh garden tomatoes in front of me I was inspired to give it a try.
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The preparation was simple. I lined a baking sheet [1] with parchment paper and rubbed it with olive oil. I cut the tomatoes into 3/4″ slices and placed them skin side up on the oiled baking sheet. I drizzled them with a little more olive oil, added a few garlic cloves and sprinkled with gluten free Italian seasoning. I roasted the tomatoes for 2-1/2 hours at 250º.
When I removed the tomatoes from the oven, the skins were split and blistered. I used tongs to gently lift off the skins and discarded them. I also removed the garlic.
Then I picked up the corners of the parchment and poured the tomatoes and juice into a sauce pot [2].
I used a stick blender [3] to puree the tomatoes into a smooth sauce.
The kitchen was filled with the aroma of roasted tomatoes and garlic! As you can see, the sauce is orange in color. Quite different from the red canned sauce that we usually purchase.
My tomatoes yielded just under 2 cups of sauce. It really gives you an appreciation of how many tomatoes are needed to fill a large sauce can.
So now my roasted tomato sauce is in the refrigerator waiting to become part of another meal (check it out here [4])!
Notes ♪♫ Canned tomatoes are one of the few processed foods that I indulge in. My mother always used Hunts Sauce [5] and I prefer it to this day, maybe because of the memories it brings. Muir Glen [6] is another favorite brand, especially their Fire Roasted Tomatoes [7] which by the way are a fine stand-in for this very recipe!