My garden was on fire last year! So much so, I was inundated with a bounty of
tomatoes.
salads one can eat before you need some variety thrown in. Having a plethora of tomatoes sparked my
creativity to whip up a roasted tomato sauce that can easily become a spread (a
happy discovery).
It couldn’t be easier to make. Simply halve the cherry tomatoes and toss onto a lined baking sheet along with crushed garlic and fresh lemon thyme. In a measuring cup, combine the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Give it a good stir and then pour over the tomatoes.
Toss until evenly coated and spread the tomatoes out into a single layer. Bake at 325 for an hour. Then purée and you are done!!
Since I created this sauce last year, it
has become a staple in my repertoire.
And I was beyond thankful for all the sauces I froze and got to enjoy
throughout the fall and winter. This summer
is no different, I’ve already made several batches of this sauce and look
forward to making some more with the next wave of tomatoes coming.
that it can be used in a multitude of ways: as a sauce, as the base for a Bolognese
or a tomato soup and as a dip. Love
that!
homemade fresh pasta which is easier than I expected to make. Simply Italian on Channel 4 was
a great series that encouraged me to finally take the plunge and make my own
pasta.
I had been gifted the Kitchen Aidpasta attachment a couple of years ago and I’m embarrassed to say it sat there for a FULL year before
I pulled it out. I most likely
procrastinated thinking it was going to be a complex and arduous process…boy
was I wrong.
g of flour with 1 egg and a pinch of salt per person you’re serving. That’s it.
I usually make a mound of flour and create a little whole in the
center. Crack the egg in, add a pinch of
salt and mix to combine.
dough is nice and smooth; then allow it to rest about 30 minutes before
proceeding with the rolling. Always
start on the thickest setting. And gradually
move your way down to the thickness you are looking for, making sure to pass
the dough through at least twice on each setting.
cornmeal to prevent it from sticking together, and allow to dry for 30 minutes before
cooking in boiling salted water for a few minutes. Seriously delicious.
top this with either thinly fried pancetta or crispy bacon for some salty
crunch. I also like to serve my pasta with
freshly grated Parmesan and dried red pepper flakes for a little heat.
Roasted Tomato, Garlic
& Lemon Thyme Sauce
Serves
2 to 4
Ingredients
- 2 Pints mixed yellow pear and cherry tomatoes – halved
- 1 small head garlic – cloves smashed
- 3 sprigs of lemon thyme
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 325˚.
- Toss tomatoes, garlic and thyme on a baking sheet lined with a
Silpat.
- In a bowl, combine oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and stir to
combine. Drizzle over tomatoes and toss
to combine. - Bake for 1 hour.
- Set aside to cool slightly, before roughly pureeing.
Notes:
- To make this into a dip, reduce the quantity of olive oil and
vinegar so that you end up with a thicker base. - You can reduce the brown sugar to 1 tbsp. and the sauce will still be
equally yummy just a little less sweet. - Any variety of thyme will work.
In 2014, I grew lemon thyme, but in 2015 I grew regular thyme and the
sauce was still just as good J
Sweet, thank you so much! I never realized it was so easy!! Have you ever tried canning your sauce or do you always freeze it? The seeds stay in the sauce? You don't have to drain or anything? You don't feel them?
xfallenmoon.com"
You're so welcome, Julie! Funny, I've never thought of canning my sauces, my go to has always been to freeze them. But canning is definitely an option! As for the seeds, you can certainly remove them. No one has complained about the seeds, but if you wanted a smoother consistency, I would recommend straining the sauce after you puré the roasted mixture. Let me know how it works out for you if you give it a go!!