Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce

Submitted by Fuzzy's Finds

"This is one of my favorite ways to use the glut of homegrown tomatoes in late summer and early fall. I'm entering it to keep from losing it. Thanks to Catherine Newman, the original author."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 3-4 cups
• Serves: 12-16

ingredients

• 3 -4 lbs ripe tomatoes, ideally plum, stems removed
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 large pinch dried herb, crumbled (marjoram, thyme, basil or oregano, or a Tuscan mix, or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh) (optional)
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• fresh ground black pepper

directions

1. Heat the oven to 375ºF. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise, then arrange them cut-side down, in one layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet (mine is 12- by 17-inches), lined with parchment paper, if you like, for easier clean-up.
2. Arrange the onions, garlic and herbs over the top, then drizzle the whole thing evenly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, sugar, and pepper.
3. Bake for an hour and a half to two hours (or so), until the tomatoes are browning in spots and have fully collapsed.
4. Now you have two choices: put the contents of the pan (including all the juices), through a food mill: this will make a smooth, skinless and seedless sauce. Or else blend it all in a blender or food processor, which will make a good but more roughly textured and seedy sauce.
5. Taste it: it will likely need a bit more salt, and more sugar too, if it seems acidic. Use it, or allow it to cool completely, then spoon into labeled freezer bags and freeze, or else spoon it into smaller containers and then, when these are frozen solid, turn them out into a large Ziploc freezer bag to store. (I use a silicon muffin tin which gives me 1/2 cup pucks that are easy to pop out of the mold.).