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1
Place one rack in the center of the oven and another in the bottom.
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2
Heat oven to 500 degrees F.
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3
Place brisket, fat side down, in a 14 x12 x 2-inch roasting pan.
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4
It's best not to use a shallow pan for this, or later the juices might run over and out.
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5
Put the garlic in the pan.
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6
Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the oil.
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7
Using your hands, rub oil onto garlic.
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8
Put the onion wedges and carrots into a smaller, 12 x 8 x 1 1/2-inch roasting pan.
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9
Drizzle with remaining oil.
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10
Using your hands, rub oil over all the pieces until they are well coated.
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11
Arrange onion wedges on their sides, so that they touch carrots as little as possible.
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12
Roast vegetables on center rack of oven for 30 minutes.
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13
Turn with a spatula.
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14
Roast 15 minutes more.
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15
Roast the brisket simultaneously on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes.
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16
Turn over so fat side is up.
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17
Roast 30 minutes more.
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18
Remove both pans from oven.
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19
Lower heat to 275F (140C), leaving the door ajar a minute or two to reduce temperature more quickly.
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20
Leave the brisket and garlic in the large pan and add 1/4 cup of the water.
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21
The water should bubble up from the heat of the pan; if it does not, put pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
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22
With a wooden spoon, scrape around the brisket to scoop up and remove the brown bits from the bottom of pan.
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23
Put the onions and carrots into the brisket pan.
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24
Put the smaller pan on top of the stove.
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25
Add the remaining water and bring contents to a boil while scraping the bottom vigorously with a wooden spoon.
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26
Pour liquid into brisket pan.
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27
Add roasted plum tomatoes and reserved roasting liquid or, if using canned tomatoes, stick a small knife into the opened can of tomatoes.
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28
Run it back and forth through the tomatoes and puree until only small pieces remain.
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29
Pour contents over vegetables and around brisket.
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30
Put the bay leaf into the liquid.
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31
Cover tightly with foil.
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32
Roast on center rack of oven for 1 1/2 hours.
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33
Remove foil, increase temperature to 500 degrees F, and roast 15 minutes more or until brisket is nicely browned.
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34
Remove.
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35
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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36
With the back of a spoon, smush the softened garlic out of each section and into the liquid.
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37
Throw the empty papers away.
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38
Transfer brisket to a platter and cover brisket with a tent of foil.
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39
Use slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to a large serving bowl or plate.
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40
Discard the bay leaf.
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41
Pour remaining liquid into a measuring cup.
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42
Let sit long enough for the fat to rise to the surface, about 15 minutes.
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43
Skim fat off surface.
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44
To serve, cut brisket against the grain into long thin strips.
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45
Arrange 2 to 3 slices on each plate.
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46
Spoon on some of the vegetables, and moisten everything with a generous amount of the liquid.
