slow roasted tomatoes

First off, thank you all SO much for your input, comments, and feedback on my last post. I appreciate every single thing you said!

Now, tomatoes. I know, I know... it's March, and I'm posting about tomatoes. Don't think for a minute I don't have some tinge of guilt about this, some thought that this is so not seasonal, some feeling that I'm being an awful blogger, but sometimes... sometimes I just can't help myself. I walk down the produce aisles at the grocery store and these bright and shiny red orbs just stare at me and tell me to take them home. See them there below? Don't they look so lovely and red? Yes, yes they do. So, a few days ago I gave in and bought them, and that night I made a pasta dish that was just totally beyond.

Well, I promise to have that recipe for you soon, but for today (tonight) I have these tomatoes. I have made these slow roasted tomatoes a few times now, and they are most definitely deserving of their own spot on this blog. I was just hoping that post would come in the summertime, but it can't always be as we foresee it, and I want to get this to you before that pasta recipe.

A few notes: first, yes these are better with the freshest of the fresh summer tomatoes. I've had them that way, I can tell you that for sure. I wish above all that I had those for you (ok, I wish I had those for me), and soon enough I will, but for now, these grocery aisle pint of tomatoes will make do. Second, roasting them just makes the flavor deeper, richer, more "tomato-y". They're great in pasta, and Kevin loves eating them straight from the dish. Third, depending on what size tomatoes you have, they may require more or less time. Take the photo below as my "Journal of Negative Results" entry for this recipe... I popped the first batch in the oven for about 30-45 minutes too long, and about half were too dried out to enjoy, as in not juicy at all. The ideal tomato would be slightly dried at the edges but retain juiciness in the center (see photo above). So use my negative result as evidence, don't forget about the tomatoes; check them about every 30-45 minutes and make sure they are just right.

the negative result

slow roasted tomatoes

recipe adapted from Goutmet, August 2009

note: these are cherry tomatoes, but you can use other sizes of tomatoes too, just adapt the roasting time (more time for larger tomatoes)

1 pint cherry tomatoes
drizzle extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.

Cut tomatoes lengthwise and place cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle ever so lightly with extra virgin olive oil and toss. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours (or more), checking tomatoes after the 1st hour about every 30 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.