Foodie Friday: Oven-Roasted Tomato Spread

To put our kitchen garden’s haul of ripe tomatoes to use, my intent was to whip up batch of salsa to bring to a family picnic. Just before pulsing the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor, inspiration struck. Hmmmm. . . .If I skip the jalapeno and cilantro, and roast the tomatoes to bring out the sweet intensity of their flavor, I just might have something. . . .

And have something, I did.

Packaged in a vintage Ball canning jar, and presented with a loaf of fresh, crusty bread, this well received hostess gift was a definite, “make again” experiment.

Happy nibbles!

Love, Nora

 

Country House Oven-Roasted Tomato Spread

Yield: Approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 lbs. cherry or grape tomatoes, washed, dried and halved

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into chunks

4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

Asiago Reggiano cheese, shaved – optional but fabulous!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line a rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.

Combine the cut tomatoes, onion, garlic, and olive oil in a large bowl.

Spread evenly on the prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Roast in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables start to lightly brown. (I like to check on things after about 15 minutes. If some vegetables are browning faster than others, I flip them.) Remove pan from the oven and place aside to cool.

Place mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse two or three times, until the vegetables resemble chunky salsa.

Serve on fresh, crusty bread. Can be optionally topped with a shaving of Asiago Reggiano cheese.