Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Growing up in a large, Italian family, big family meals were routine. For Italians, food is not just a meal. Family meals were frequent and often centered around food and extended family.  My grandparents where straight from Italy and moved to the USA when they were young. My dad was one of 5 boys so there was always big stomachs to fill.

Everything was home made and tomatoes seemed to be served in some form everyday.  My Aunt Angie made homemade bread daily and as you can imagine it did not last very long.

My dad made homemade tomato everything including pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, roasted tomatoes, and all types of salads.  Tomatoes dominate dishes either served fresh or cooked into sauce. Other cuisine we enjoyed included peppers, olives, olive oil, garlic, eggplant and ricotta cheese.

These memories seem to stick with me every spring when it is time to plant my garden. I seem to get over zealous with planting always forgetting how much fruit my plants produce.

San Marzano tomatoes are famous plum tomato which grow near Napoli.  They grow in rich volcanic soil at the base of Mount Vesuvius, which gives them the sweet flavor and low acidity. It is a variety of a plum tomato with thinner, elongated, and more pointed that Roma tomatoes.

I grow Roma and San Marzano tomatoes. I will have tomatoes until frost which allows me to can tomato sauce, whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and homemade spaghetti sauce.

Any type of tomato can be slow roasted into gorgeous, sweet ones even it they are at the end of the growing season. This is a way to yet again preserve fresh tomatoes. They have become a pantry essential in my home.  They stay in the fridge and brighten up sandwiches, salads, cheese plates, and pizza. We eat them straight from the jar. They are delicious. Enjoy my recipe!

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