Roasted Tomatoes on the Vine

I think it is safe to say that tomatoes are my favorite fruit. I also have to admit that I may or may not have just wikipedia'd tomatoes to figure out if they were a fruit or vegetable. Weren't they a vegetable when I was a kid? Is this another "Pluto is no longer a planet" things? Do scientists do this just to confuse us normal people? Is anyone else as confused as I am? ...probably not.

Anyway, back to tomatoes. Tomatoes have played an integral part of my childhood...and my general family history. As you know, I grew up in Jersey, so tomatoes (and corn) have been staples...forever. My mum has told me that she used to eat tomatoes the way some people eat apples (I must admit, I have since started doing the exact same thing). As you've seen from my summer sides post, the majority of the dishes we serve down the shore have tomatoes included. Even during the winter, we rely on tomatoes in our Italian food--marinara goes in lasagna, spaghetti pie, stuffed shells, meatballs, etc. I think if i could only eat one food for the rest of my life (and yes, this is a bold claim)...it would be tomatoes. Or chocolate. I am a woman after all!

Normally I stick with fresh tomatoes served raw. Or pureed and put into a sauce, like over pasta. But I've been dying to try to roast tomatoes...I mean, I like red peppers significantly more when they are roasted. Maybe I would feel the same about tomatoes! And this recipe is sooo quick and easy it's great to add to your arsenal.

Well, I have to say...these were delicious. Do I like them more than raw tomatoes? I don't think so, but the taste is so different it is amazing. I recommend serving these on a toasted baguette with a bit of ricotta served as a crostini. YUM!

Roasted Tomatoes on the Vine

Ingredients:

Cherry tomatoes on the vine
One large garlic clove
Basil (I used purple basil from my CSA)
Good quality olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Wash your tomatoes; chop the garlic and basil. 

3. Put foil on a baking dish (you all know my obsession with foil. Easy clean up!). Add the tomatoes and sprinkle the olive oil and balsamic over top. Sprinkle the basil and garlic so they fall on all of the tomatoes. 

4. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. When they're done, they should burst open if you cut through them.