Tomatoes are a pretty perfect food fresh off the vine and I rarely make a salad without them. (Examples one, two and three). Pop them into a hot oven with a splash of olive oil, a little garlic and spices and magic happens. Like full on David Copperfield where did that rabbit come from kinda magic. That familiar tomato texture is replaced with the most delicious melt-in-your-mouth chewiness and the sweetness. (Insert dramatic eye roll here. 🙄 ) Oh, the sweetness will make you want to eat the entire batch right from the baking sheet.
Once they’re roasted, I LOVE these tomatoes on sandwiches (see the fabulous BLT with Roasted Tomatoes below), as an easy app served with baguette slices, cheese and charcuterie, or own their own as a tasty reminder that the Universe loves me and wants me to be happy.
Drop a few of these roasted beauties into your food processor with a glug or two of olive oil and you’ll have the most flavorful tomato paste/sauce you’ve ever tasted. Toss it with your favorite pasta or spread it generously on pizza dough for an out of this world pizza sauce.
How To Roast Tomatoes
1. Rinse tomatoes and dry them thoroughly.
2. Slice tomatoes 1/2-inch thick.
3. Place sliced tomatoes in a medium bowl. Add minced garlic, herbs and olive oil and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss until tomato slices are evenly coated.
4. Arrange tomato slices on a baking sheet. Roast tomatoes in a 400F oven until they soften and edges begin to brown, 20-25 minutes.
BLT with Roasted Tomatoes
This is NOT your run of the mill BLT. I’ve taken the standard ingredients (bacon, lettuce and tomato) and turned them up about a thousand notches. Bacon, well the bacon remains untouched because there’s no improving perfection. Boring iceberg or romaine lettuce is replaced with peppery arugula, mayo with my fantastic Garlic Herb Mayo and the role of tomato is now being played by those roasted tomatoes I’ve been going on about. All of these combine to create a delicious symphony of flavor and texture that’s almost too much for a humble sandwich. Too much!!
TIPS:
Slice tomatoes at least 1/2-inch thick so they’ll hold their shape when roasted.
Make Garlic Herb Mayo ahead of time. The longer is sits, the more flavorful it will be.
Drain bacon on a plate lined with paper towels. Excess oil will make your sandwich soggy.
TOOLS:
Medium Bowl
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TECHNIQUES:
Roasting Tomatoes
Building an AWESOME sandwich!
BLT with Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
Roast Tomatoes:
- 6-8 Roma tomatoes, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespooon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- Big pinch each of salt and pepper
Sandwiches
- 8 slices wheat bread, toasted
- 1/4 cup Garlic Herb Mayo
- 1/2 cup arugula, rinsed and patted dry
- 8 slices bacon, cooked
Instructions
Roast Tomatoes:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place sliced tomatoes in a medium bowl. Add olive oil, minced garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss until tomatoes are evenly coated.
- Arrange tomatoes on baking sheet in one layer. Roast until softened and edges begin to brown 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature before using.
Assemble Sandwiches:
- Spread each slice of bread with a schmear of Garlic Herb Mayo. Top four slices with arugula, 3-4 roasted tomato slices and 2 slices of bacon each. Top with remaining slices of bread and serve.
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