Baked Tomato Recipe

Yum

This Baked Tomato recipe, aka Gebackene Tomaten,  may just turn out to be one of your favorites to include for a company dinner. Really, it's a recipe for roasting tomatoes, something that really intensifies the natural flavors. And, it's a recipe that fantastic if you're entertaining vegans! Use extra-virgin olive oil if possible, and drizzle with extra oil if you desire.

It is quickly prepared and easy to make with cherry or grape tomatoes -- just pop it in the oven. Smells divine!

 Baked Cherry Tomato Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 pints Cherry or Grape tomatoes
  
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  
• salt and pepper (preferably fresh ground)
  
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
  

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425° F.
  
• Put tomatoes in single layer in a rimmed baking dish.
  
• Drizzle with oil and season with salt and some freshly ground pepper.
  
• Scatter thyme sprigs on top.
  
• Bake until tomatoes are softened, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  
• Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Balsamic vinegar can be drizzled on as well if you like. Let the tomatoes cool for at least 10 minutes. This will allow their sweet flavor to develop. If you wish, you can add some thinly sliced garlic to the tomatoes before you bake them.

Why roast (or bake) Tomatoes ...

The roasting process evaporates some of the natural "watery" juices in the fruit/vegetable. The result is a much more pronounced "tomato-y" flavour.

Tomatoes are such a healthy fruit/vegetable. Full of vitamins and minerals, it's also a great boost for your daily fiber! Make them a regular part of your diet.

When you're making this cherry tomato recipe, keep a few tomatoes, wash and dry then. Then put them into a freezer baggie and freeze.

Whenever you're serving a bowl of "HOT" soup, especially to children, pop in a frozen cherry tomato. It will help cool the soup and even add a bit of flavour. As a child, I found it fun to eat the soup around the floating cherry tomato.

If you're game for a real "flavour treat", then check out the recipe for Butternut Squash with Cherry Tomatoes and (would you believe it) Blue Cheese. Not only does the squash get baked (evaporating some of its juices so it's more flavourful, but it has cherry tomatoes added as well.

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Some more Tomato Recipes ...

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