One of the great pleasures of summer is all the great produce that comes from nearby Ontario farms. We’re right in tomato season, and it seems everyone is knee-deep in this bountiful fruit. Here’s a quick and easy way to use some up.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

This is a super simple recipe that is pretty much all to-taste. Especially since I don’t know how many tomatoes (1.5lbs? 3-4 big ones?) you really need. But in less than an hour, you can get this on the table.

Ingredients

  • Tomatoes
  • Salt
  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic
  • Shallots (optional)
  • Basil (optional)

Directions

  1. Set oven to 400°F
  2. Smash several cloves of garlic, slice tomatoes in half (or quarters), and toss with salt and olive oil.
  3. Set tomatoes face-up in a glass dish and bake for 30 minutes.
  4. If you’re cooking spaghetti, now’s the time to start boiling your water. Salt liberally. Don’t add your pasta in yet though.
  5. Optionally, you can now dice and sautée your shallots in the smoked bacon fat you rendered last week. Or just use plain oil. Set this aside when done. You’ll incorporate this when finishing your pasta.
  6. Wash your basil leaves and set aside.
  7. After 30ish minutes, scrape down the sides of the glass dish where the delicious brown stuff is starting to form. Back into the sauce it should go. Then back into the oven for another 15-20 minutes.
  8. Now, bring your water back up to a boil and leave on high. Put in your pasta and cook as directed. Drain and return pasta to the pot.
  9. Remove your sauce from the oven. It should be a somewhat wet sauce, like a thick soup (if it’s still very watery, return to the oven for another 15). Scrape down the sides again and then pour into your pasta pot. Add your sautéed shallots. Turn the burner on medium-low and cook down sauce. Keep tossing the pasta until the sauce just coats the noodles. If things get too dry, feel free to add a bit more olive oil, or if you were really good, a bit of that pasta water you reserved before draining.
  10. Plate into bowls and finish with some fresh chopped basil.