Roasted Tomato Spread

I've roasted fresh tomatoes before and really liked the taste. But sometimes, when tomatoes aren't in season or the ones that are available aren't bursting with flavor, it's time to think outside the box...or maybe I should say can.

Yep, you can take canned whole tomatoes to a whole new level of taste by roasting them.

I used two cans of whole tomatoes and drained off the juice. You can reserve the juice and use it in sauces or sub it for water/stock when making rice. 

The tomatoes were sliced in half and placed on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Olive oil was drizzled on top, as well as some Italian seasonings. The sheet pan got popped into a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about an hour.

When done, the tomatoes had carmelized a bit and turned a darker shade of red.

They also smelled amazing.

A few quick pulses in the food processor and the spread was done.

The flavor is rich and the concentrated tomato taste just pops. This makes a great spread for a sandwich, but would also be great as a base for a tomato soup.

Quick, easy, and delicious!