This is a simple dish with sweet, warm flavours. It takes about 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook. When I have gluts of tomatoes and courgettes I make up big trays of this sauce and freeze it or use it for different dishes over the next few days. It makes a great a pasta sauce, warm salad or filling for sandwiches.
Serves 4 people
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180c/375f.
- Place the tomatoes, courgettes and garlic onto a large baking tray.
- If using large tomatoes, cut them into quarters and place skin side down on the baking tray.
- If using cherry tomatoes, leave them whole, but prick the skin to stop them exploding.
- Pour the oil over the vegetables and season with the sugar, a small pinch of salt and a large pinch of black pepper.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully drain the juices into a bowl.
- Squeeze out the roasted garlic and mix with the roasting juices and the roughly torn fresh basil, pour this over the courgettes and tomatoes.
- Gently mix and serve hot or at room temperature.
Ingredients
500 grams ripe tomatoes
500 grams courgettes (sliced into 2cm rings)
25 grams fresh basil (optional)
4 cloves of garlic (unpeeled)
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 teaspoon(s) sugar
1 dash(es) salt and pepper, to taste
Variations:
- Try including some strong flavours in the roast such as feta cheese, olives, capers or chorizo sausage for a richer sauce.
- Hollow out a baguette and stuff with the roasted veg, top with grated cheese and grill until the cheese melts.
- Stuff large mushrooms with the mixture, top with a strip or two of bacon and bake for 15 minutes in a hot oven or until the mushroom is cooked and the bacon crispy.
Recipe from Robin Van Creveld, Community Chef www.communitychef.org.uk
