Pasta is one of my family’s favourite meals and when tomatoes are in abundance, there are two ways I like to prepare a Tomato Pasta Sauce. Either version is simple, bursting with flavor and looks fantastic on the plate.
The first version (not this one – but coming soon), is where the tomatoes are only slightly cooked, or really just warmed through and tossed through the pasta with lots of fresh herbs and parmesan.
In this version of Tomato Pasta Sauce, the tomatoes are roasted which brings an entirely different flavor to the dish. Also, this sauce can be incorporated into other recipes unlike the ‘fresh’ sauce which is best served on its own.
Once you’ve tried a Tomato Pasta Sauce like this, it’s addictive and you don’t ever look at canned or bottled varieties in the same light. They just don’t quite measure up, but of course still have a use – particularly when there isn’t the luxury of fresh tomatoes on hand.
Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
1kg of good quality, ripened tomatoes
Olive oil
Sea salt or salt flakes
Freshly ground pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 200C (390F).
Cut tomatoes in half and place cut side up onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush or drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Tomatoes going into the oven
Cook the tomatoes for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool long enough to handle.
Roasted Tomatoes
Remove the skins from the tomatoes – they should slip off quite easily.
Peeling tomatoes
Place tomatoes into a food processor and blend for a few seconds – long enough to make a fine tomato sauce.
Tomato Pasta Sauce
Use immediately or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 5 days. The sauce can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
The Klutzy Cook Notes
- Using good quality tomatoes is important – roma or vine ripened are best.
- The tomatoes can be roasted for a longer time which will give a more intense flavor. Reduce the temperature to 110C (230F) and roast for 3 hours.
- The sauce can be served on its own over pasta with fresh parmesan. Another easy dish is simply to add some chopped cooked meats such as sausage, ham or bacon to the sauce and again, serve over pasta. Alternatively incorporate it into any recipe that requires a tomato sauce.
- Add different flavours to the sauce by sprinkling any of the following over the tomatoes before roasting – minced garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, mint, finely chopped onion or shallots.
