Roasted Winter Tomato Miracle

Nothing beats a fresh tomato. This time of year you're pretty much out of luck if you want to sink your teeth into a good fresh tomato. But I've discovered that you can reach a garden-ripened intensity by roasting pale, winter tomatoes to a deep, rich, intense red.


Roasted Tomatoes

Toss in a large bowl:

6-8 large tomatoes, quartered

2-3 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Pour tomato mixture into a lightly buttered 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for approx 30-40 minutes. When done tomatoes should be a deep, rich red and have the intensity of fresh summer tomatoes just picked from the garden. Serve as a side dish, on bruschetta with olive tapenade, or toss with a little olive oil, pasta and freshly grated parmesan cheese.