Recipe Corner: Roasted Tomato Sauce


From Lisa Imerman

I did not create this recipe but received it through my CSA, Rocky Gardens.  I have posted two versions. The first one is the one the owner of the CSA, Diane Franklin, posted and the one she uses.  Her method is great for those second quality tomatoes that have spots and need to be trimmed and aren’t easy to slice nicely.  You can peel them and seed them if you like but with the food processor it really isn’t necessary.  I have never tried the puree first then roast method, but it works just as well. I use the second version of the recipe; I don’t add any brown sugar, however you can sprinkle them with some sugar (I would use Rapadura or honey) if your tomatoes are particularly acidic.  Quantities of ingredients are variable depending on how much you want to make and how much will fit on your sheet pans.

Roasted Tomato Sauce-version 1
Wash tomatoes and cut out stems and any bad spots.  Pulse tomatoes in food processor. (If fussy about seeds you can strain them out, I don't.)
Pour into baking sheet (with sides) and sprinkle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and brown sugar.  Bake at 375 for 15 to 25 minutes, reduce to 350 and continue baking until most of the water is evaporated.  Watch carefully so the edges don't burn.  Open the oven door often to let moisture escape.  Bake for an hour or two depending on quantity and your oven.  It is finished when the tomatoes are deep in color and water is mostly gone but it isn’t burnt.
You can add roasted peppers to the food processor for added flavor if you prefer. 
Freeze sauce in quart size zipper bags.  Lay on their sides stacked on top of each other to save freezer space.
I also let some of the sauce bake a little longer for pizza sauce.  I put this into smaller zipper bags and label "pizza sauce".  Add herbs when making the pizza. 
Oh My!  It tastes good as is but to make spaghetti sauce you can add garlic, onions, green pepper, herbs, browned meat or sausage, mushrooms, etc.  If too thick add more tomatoes when making into sauce.

Roasted Tomato Sauce-version 2

Wash and slice tomatoes and lay on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan (with sides) in one layer.  Drizzle tomato slices with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper and sea salt.  Bake tomatoes at 375 for approximately 20 minutes or so and then lower heat to 350 degrees F for the remaining time.  Bake until most of the water is evaporated; the tomatoes are a deep red but not burnt.  We frequently open the oven to check on the tomatoes which helps the moisture to escape.  Cook for at least one hour, but times may vary depending on your oven, the water content of your tomatoes and the amount of tomatoes you are cooking.  I have a convection oven and if you want to do this in convection mode, we do it at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. 

After it is finished cooking you can puree the tomatoes in the food processor.  If you want to remove most of the skin and seeds, you can process in a food mill instead.  Package it in freezer bags or containers and freeze.

To make Pasta Sauce, I sauté diced onions, green peppers, celery and garlic till soft; add a bit of red wine vinegar or some red wine and let the alcohol evaporate off, then add the tomato sauce, salt, pepper and an Italian herb mixture.  Let simmer till the flavors meld.  You can also add meat or other items to this sauce.  At the end of the cooking time, I will add in any fresh, chopped herbs I have on hand (oregano and basil are my usual).  For Pizza sauce I do the same thing but I let it cook down into a thicker sauce first and add Pizza seasoning in place of the Italian Herb mix (they are similar) and a bit of red pepper flakes for some bite to it, I don’t add the green pepper to the pizza sauce when cooking the “veges” but you can if you want.  These recipes are very flexible.

Added note from Lisa:  For a great pizza, roll your favorite pizza dough into free-form personal size pizzas and brush both sides of the dough with olive oil, grill on a hot grill for 2 minutes per side and then add sauce and toppings, return to the grill on indirect heat and cook until cheese is melted or toppings are cooked to your liking.  Best pizza you will ever have!!


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