Roasted Tomato Soup / Sauce

1. 1

   Cut tomatoes in half; squeeze gently over the sink to get rid of excess water and seeds; dump in a baking pan; dribble with olive oil and scatter a whole bunch of whole garlic cloves in and roast, at about 400F until the tomatoes are slightly charred in places and fully baked.

2. 2

   If you want, you can just pick off the tomato skins and discard.

3. 3

   I usually just puree the lot.

4. 4

   I will often stir some fresh oregano and/or basil in about halfway through this process.

5. 5

   When done, puree this roasted tomato mess and add some half and half (how much you want to use depends entirely on you - sometimes you want a pure tomato flavour, other times, it may be too much of a good thing and you may want a creamier, less-pronounced taste).

6. 6

   Season to taste, using LOTS of freshly-cracked pepper.

7. 7

   The most awesome roasted tomato soup ever.

8. 8

   Note: The tomato-mess, without the addition of the half and half, is a good base for many recipes calling for tomato sauce.

9. 9

   Or add the cream and use to toss with freshly-cooked pasta.

10. 10

    Second Note: If you like a thinner soup, use hot broth or even water to bring it to the desired consistency.

11. 11

    Check seasoning.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.