Rustic Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce

I love homemade tomato sauce and this one is so easy to make with scrumptious results!  Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A (helps form and maintain healthy teeth and skin), and vitamin K (bone health).   The lycopene in tomatoes has long been studied for its antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. Prevention of heart disease has been shown to be another antioxidant role played by lycopene. Tomatoes are a “new world” food and food historians generally agree that the first tomato sauces were made by ancient South Americans in the Andes. These spicy sauces/salsas also included chilies, peppers, and other finely diced vegetables. Salsa became popular from the 18th century and in the 19th century, tomato ketchup became one of the most popular American condiments.

Makes 6 servings
recipe from Vegetable Harvest cookbook
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3 lbs. garden-fresh tomatoes, rinsed, cored and halved crosswise
fine sea salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Preheat oven to 425f.  Arrange the tomato halves, cut side up, side by side on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle lightly with salt.  Rub the oregano between your palms, showing the tomatoes with the fragrant herb.  Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and roast until the tomatoes are very soft, about 40 minuted.  Transfer the tomatoes and any juices to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.

The Culinary Chase’s Note:  While the tomatoes I chose were not garden-fresh, they were a beautiful crimson red.  Keep an eye on the tomatoes as I found 40 minutes in the oven was a bit too long.  Use this sauce on anything you would use canned tomato sauce on (pasta, pizza, vegetables, poached eggs, over chicken or fish, on polenta topped with cheese, or add olives and anchovies for a puttanesca sauce etc.).