Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

Tom Colicchio's recipe for Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic is more about technique than complex flavor combinations.  This simple dish is tasty on its own (as an appetizer or a side) and also, I discovered, makes a flavorful and light spaghetti sauce.  Make sure you have at least three hours to spare in order to give this the lovin' it needs.

Can't wait for tomato season!

Ingredients

*  10 ripe tomatoes, stems and cores removed (I recommend large, fresh tomatoes)
*  1 large head of garlic, divided into unpeeled cloves
*  1/4 cup EVOO
*  Kosher salt
*  Freshly ground black pepper
*  4 sprigs of fresh thyme (I used about 8 sprigs because I used large tomatoes)

Directions

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Cut tomatoes in half (through the equator).
3.  Place tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil in a large bowl.
4.  Season with salt and pepper, and mix gently.
5.  Line baking dishes with foil.  Place tomatoes on the foil, cut side down, and pour the remaining olive oil mixture over them.
6.  Divide the garlic and thyme between the baking dishes, and bake until the tomato skins loosen, about 20 minutes.  (This will depend on your oven.  In mine, this process takes at least 30 minutes.)
7.  Remove and discard the tomato skins.
8.  Pour the juices into a bowl and reserve.
9.  Return tomatoes to oven and reduce heat to 275 degrees.
10.  Continue roasting, periodically pouring out and reserving the juices, until tomatoes are slightly shrunken and appear cooked and concentrated but not yet dry (about 3-4 hours more).
------------------------------------------

In addition to making this dish for supper club, I made it (cooking about 2.5 hours total instead of 4.5) as a spaghetti sauce.  Cooking less time meant that the garlic was a bit more firm, but there was still a good roasted flavor from both the tomatoes and garlic. 

Add a little salt and you have yourself a meal!

Recipe by Tom Colicchio
Notes in italics are my own