recipeworld

This is one of those super-easy techniques that will make guests think you were slaving in the kitchen all day. Oh, I love those days.

Roasting any food essentially dehydrates it, concentrating its flavor, while also caramelizing its sugars. For a fruit like a tomato, this means a lot of flavor and a lot of sugar. Throwing in some garlic, which also has a lot of natural sugar, means you’re left with a tomato sauce (or tomato topping) that has none of that unpleasant acidity: you get just enough acid from the flavor of the balsamic vinegar to let the true taste of the tomato shine through.

These tomatoes can be served as part of an antipasto platter, as a pasta sauce, or as a simple topping to go with warm, crusty bread or crostini. However you choose to enjoy it, I promise you’ll be coming back to this recipe again and again.

Roasted Tomatoes

1 lb. whole tomatoes, quartered

3 tbsp. olive oil

several hefty pinches of salt

3 whole cloves of garlic, punctured but not unwrapped

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar (optional)

fresh ground black pepper

1 tbsp. herbes de Provence (I like this blend, but feel free to use whatever herbs you like. Some suggestions are basil, rosemary, oregano, or a combination)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tomatoes, olive oil, salt, garlic, and vinegar if you’re using it. Place in the oven and roast until the tomatoes begin to release their juices, about 20 minutes. Turn the tomatoes and add the herbs and black pepper. Roast for about another 20 minutes, or until they have released all of their juices and are darkened and caramelized.

Note: If you decide to toss the tomatoes with pasta, use a little bit of the cooking water to loosen some of the caramelization from the bottom of the pan and toss it with the pasta for extra flavor.

I come from an Italian-American family, where food is possibly the most important thing. I was required to be home every night for dinner (usually with guests in tow to taste my mother’s incredible cooking), and even now, when I’m home from school, I hardly ever want to go out, because I get restaurant-quality cooking at home.

I try my best, but I don’t know if I’ll ever cook like my mom. For one, she has access to Zabars in New York and an insatiable food budget. All I have is the measly budget I set for myself and some fine but not great cooking tools.

The one thing I inherited my mom is an understanding for flavor and texture. I might not be able to make something with foie gras or porcini mushrooms every night of the week, but I know how to take simple ingredients and pull them together to make something tasty. Maybe it’s the Italian in me.

The American in me, however, knows how to improvise. Like this tortilla pizza. When I want pizza, I’m not going to make pizza dough. I’ve been known to make a pizza out of any bread product that will sit still: English muffins, bagels… heck, I’ve even made pizza on split baked potatoes. There’s something about the combination of tomatoes, garlic, oregano and basil, and of course the melty cheese, that I need to have, even when the only crust I can afford is a whole-wheat tortilla.

Note: The tortilla for this actually crisps up quite well: if you like thin-crust pizza, you’ll love this.

Stovetop Tortilla Pizza
1 tsp. olive oil
1 whole-wheat tortilla
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 oz. shredded cheese
basil (Note: I love basil and use it as an extra topping, when really it should be a garnish. Use your discretion with how much you like.)

Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil is heated, place the tortilla in the oil to fry for thirty seconds. When the edges begin to brown, flip it over and turn the heat down to medium-low. Spread the tomato paste over the tortilla. Top with the oregano and cheese. Cover and allow to cook until the cheese melts, 1-2 minutes. When the cheese has melted, add the basil.