Italian Sides Dishes Recipes - Roasted Tomato Pesto

Ingredients

• 16 to 20 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

• and seeded (3 pounds)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 small onions, cut into thin wedges

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered

• 6 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place tomatoes, cut sides up, in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes.

2. Add onions and garlic to roasting pan. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, gently tossing to coat. Roast about 20 minutes or until tomatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes.

3. Place half of the tomato mixture in a large food processor bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Cover and process with 4 or 5 on/off turns until coarsely chopped and mixture just begins to form a paste.

4. Transfer to a large bowl; repeat with remaining ingredients. (Or place one-fourth of the tomato mixture in a blender container. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the balsamic vinegar, and a dash of the pepper.

5. Cover and blend with 4 or 5 on/off turns until coarsely chopped and mixture just begins to form a paste. Transfer to a bowl; repeat with remaining ingredients in three more batches.)

6. To serve, divide pesto into four 1-cup portions. Place three portions into 3 airtight freezer containers. Freeze up to 3 months. Use remaining pesto tossed with hot cooked pasta, as a sandwich spread, or as a topper for soups.