{recipe} Roasted Tomatoes

We have had such a huge summer bounty of tomatoes from our garden, they were turning red faster then we were able to eat them.  One of my favorite ways to use up tomatoes is to slow-roast them in the oven for a couple of hours, and to freeze them.  That way we can have fresh tomatoes the whole winter.

  ROASTED TOMATOES:
* makes 4 cups

4 lbs ripe tomatoes, cored and halved
1/2 head of garlic cloves, separated and peeled
handful of fresh basil
olive oil (make sure you buy unaltered olive oil)
celtic sea salt & fresh ground black pepper

* I recommend using organic/grass-fed/high quality ingredients from reputable companies when feasible.

Preheat the oven to 275°F.  Line a 9x13 inch baking sheet  with parchment paper (I like to use unbleached parchment paper.) 

Lay tomatoes on the baking sheet, scatter the garlic cloves and basil leaves over and in between the tomatoes.  Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with celtic sea salt and black pepper.

Slow roast the tomatoes for 3-4 hours.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and let the tomatoes cool on a wire cooling rack.

Store the roasted tomatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezer friendly: These roasted tomatoes freeze beautifully.  Once the roasted tomatoes have completely cool, transfer the tomatoes and all the juices from the baking sheet to a labeled (content and date) freezer zipper bag.  Freeze for up to 6 months.