Author Notes
This classic recipe can be heated, chilled or used as a beautiful tomato sauce with pasta. It uses summer tomatoes that are so plentiful this time of year. —Destination Cuisine
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Ingredients
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14
ripe tomatoes
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8-10
whole garlic cloves
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4 tablespoons
Olive Oil plus additional to coat tomatoes
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2
Medium onions chopped
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3 tablespoons
Kosher Salt
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1/2 teaspoon
Red Pepper Flakes
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28 ounces
Tomato Puree, canned
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1 teaspoon
Chicken bouillon base
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1 cup
Water
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3 cups
Whole Basil Leaves
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1/4 teaspoon
Italian Seasoning
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1/2 teaspoon
Thyme
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1/4 cup
Heavy Cream or Half and Half
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Kosher Salt and Cracked Pepper to taste
Directions
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Preheat Oven to 450 degrees
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Cut ripe tomatoes into 8 pieces and spread on an oiled jelly roll pan. Add whole, peeled garlic cloves
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Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and whole garlic cloves and toss with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
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Roast for 25 minutes until tomatoes and garlic are soft. Let cool. Do not pour off the juice in the pan.
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Heat about 4 Tblsp of olive oil in a large pot. Saute two medium chopped onions until soft and lucent.
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Pull out the roasted garlic from the tomatoes. Chop and add to onions.
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Add red pepper flakes.
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Add 28 ounce can of tomato puree, 3 Cups whole basil leaves, the roasted tomatoes and juice, Italian Seasoning and Thyme.
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Mix 1 Tsp. chicken bouillon with water. I use the tomato puree can to mix the water and chicken bouillon base. Add to the pot.
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Once it's brought to a small boil, turn heat down and simmer for at least 45 minutes.
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IMPORTANT. Let cool before blending the tomatoes.
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I use an immersion blender but a food processor or blender works equally well. Remove 1/2 and set aside to use as a nice cool soup.
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I use the remainder to add the cream while continuing to blend.
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Salt and pepper to taste.
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Suggestions for a garnish...shredded fresh basil leaves, sour cream, or gorgonzola chunks. This makes for a great soup, hot or cold as well as an excellent sauce for pasta.
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