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Pomodori al forno is an appetizer served at Café Lago, one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle, and is, as the name implies, a dish of oven-roasted tomatoes. But these are a very fine specimen of the genre. First, they are roasted long and slow with a bit of sugar and salt, dried oregano, and a good dose of olive oil. Then, when they are tender and a deep shade of scarlet, you transfer them to a bowl, layer them with lots of minced garlic and parsley, pour the (now tomato-infused) oil from the baking dish over the top, and let them marinate for a few hours. They wind up rich, concentrated, and sweetly pungent with garlic and herbs, and I have yet to meet a person who didn’t find them completely, completely addictive. Especially when served with goat cheese and toasts. And especially right now, when we should all be eating tomatoes by the dozen, before winter comes and steals them away.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cups (or more) olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeded
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley
- Aged goat cheese (such as Bûcheron)
- 1 baguette, thinly sliced crosswise, toasted
INGREDIENT TIP/ Alta Cucina canned plum tomatoes are available online from sciabica.com.
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Pour 1/2 cup oil into 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange tomatoes in dish, cut side up. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup oil. Sprinkle with oregano, sugar, and salt. Bake 1 hour. Using tongs, turn tomatoes over. Bake 1 hour longer. Turn tomatoes over again. Bake until deep red and very tender, transferring tomatoes to plate when soft (time will vary, depending on ripeness of tomatoes), about 15 to 45 minutes longer.
- Layer tomatoes in medium bowl, sprinkling garlic and parsley over each layer; reserve oil in baking dish. Drizzle tomatoes with reserved oil, adding more if necessary to cover. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.
DO AHEAD Cover; chill up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve with aged goat cheese and toasted baguette slices.
6 SERVINGS source: Bon Appetit September 2008 http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2008/09/pomodori_al_forno?changecurrentdate=true&date=2008/08/05
tags: vegetarian, vegan, pareve, summer, cold