Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes

These slow roasted balsamic tomatoes are the perfect garnish to your sandwich, eggs, or any other dish that needs a little kick.

Ingredients List:

• Ripe tomatoes. You can use any type of tomato, but be aware that the thickness may affect the baking time. I had huge garden tomatoes to use up, so I cut them into slices that were at least ¾-inch thick. If you use something like a plum tomato, slicing it in half should suffice.

• Garlic. Fresh cloves, minced. Use extra, if you like!

• Extra-virgin olive oil. For roasting.

• Balsamic vinegar + sugar. For caramelization.

• Salt. To add savory balance to the sweetness and make that tomato flavor POP.

• Freshly ground black pepper.

• Fresh minced herbs. Roasted Tomatoes are delicious sprinkled with chopped fresh basil. 

• Parsley is tasty as well, or you can use a combo of basil/parsley/oregano/thyme.

Keep in mind that the ingredient amounts listed in this recipe are appropriate for a 18x13x1"

How to Make Them:

1. Thickly slice some ripe tomatoes, and then seed and drain them.

2. Sprinkle with minced garlic and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

3. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with sugar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Finally, oven roast the tomatoes at a high temperature for 25-35 min or until perfectly caramelized and then garnish with ribbons of basil or your favorite fresh herbs. 

Chefs Notes:

Roasted Tomatoes involve basic ingredients and a straightforward preparation, but there are still a few tricks and tips to ensure that they turn out well!

• Regardless of what type of tomato you use, it's important to remove all of the seeds and drain the juices. So if you are using the end piece of a tomato (that forms a little bowl), poke a few holes in the bottom so that liquid doesn't pool in the tomato as it bakes...or else you may end up with steamed tomatoes instead of roasted ones.

• The caramelization that occurs during baking can cause sticking and make a mess of your pan. I'm a parchment paper addict, so I line my rimmed baking sheet with that and it works well. At the very least, line your pan with foil for easy clean-up!

• As mentioned earlier, watch your tomatoes closely, particularly the first time you make this recipe, because their cooking time may vary depending on the size/thickness of your tomato slices/halves. My big, thick tomato slices were perfect at 25 minutes, but thinner tomatoes would have been done sooner.

• You want your tomatoes to be dark and caramelized. If you cook them too long they will start to char (as will your garlic). But if you don't cook them long enough, they won't develop their optimal flavor.