Oven-Browned Tomatoes (from Marcella Hazan)
Growing up in the Midwest, nothing tasted more like summer than fresh tomatoes. We had them in abundance and oftentimes, just slicing them and adding some salt were enough for a refreshing snack.
Living in the Southwest, I don’t have as many opportunities for fresh produce in the summer, so I try to visit farmers markets as much as possible. This past weekend, I came across some beautiful heirloom tomatoes that were perfectly ripe, and I knew this was the recipe I was going to use them with.
Don’t feel like you need to wait for the perfect summer tomatoes to make this. As you’ll see, the same Marcella principles of low heat and long cooking apply, allowing even less-than-perfect tomatoes to develop a deeper, more concentrated flavor.
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About this Recipe
Similar to her braised carrots recipe, this recipe requires time and patience. However, because they cook in the oven at low heat, they don’t require much attention, so they are relatively hands-off once they go in.
Marcella’s exact instructions were to cook these down until they are almost half their size, blackened, and even “deflated,” but in waiting this long, you are left with a sweet, fragrant, and intensely flavored tomato.
These can be served hot, warm, or cool. I loved them after a brief resting period out of the oven. Because the oven stays at a low temperature, they come out almost ready to eat. These can be served with other summer vegetables, a salad, crusty bread, on their own, or with any simply prepared meat.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes
- Parsley
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Ingredient Notes
1. Tomatoes
Marcella recommends nine medium-sized tomatoes. I used three large heirloom tomatoes, which mainly affected how long they took to cook down. Choose any variety you like, as long as the tomatoes are ripe. The size will affect the cooking time more than anything else.
2. Garlic
Finely mince the garlic so there are no large chunks. The smaller the pieces, the more they will melt into the tomatoes, giving a slight spice that complements the sweetness.
3. Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley
Whenever a recipe calls for parsley, I use flat-leaf, Italian parsley. Curly parsley, often seen as garnish, is more bitter and doesn’t bring that fresh taste to the dish that Italian parsley does.
The Recipe
Oven-Browned Tomatoes (from Marcella Hazan)
Ingredients
- 9 fresh, ripe, medium-sized tomatoes
- 3 tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tsp garlic, chopped fine
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°.
- Wash the tomatoes, then cut them in half along their widest point.
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the tomato halves, cut side up, within the dish. They can be squeezed in, since they will shrink during cooking.
- Sprinkle the tops evenly with parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the remaining olive oil on top.
- Place the dish in the oven on the upper racks and cook for at least one hour.
Cooking Tip: Take Your Time
This isn’t a quick recipe, but most of the cooking time is hands-off. The tomatoes need enough time in the oven for their liquid to cook away and their flavor to concentrate.
You may be tempted to bring it out of the oven when your house starts to fill with the smell of fragrant tomatoes. I urge you to keep waiting it out until you notice the liquid has all bust cooked off, leaving behind blackened bits. The tomatoes will also need to shrink quite a bit and lose most of their “juicy” look. I set the timer for an hour, as she suggests an hour or more, and because my heirlooms were so large, it took about an hour and 45 minutes until I felt they were ready to pull out of the oven.
Serve With
- Grilled chicken or pork
- Simply prepared fish
- A simple green salad
- Other summer vegetables
- Crusty Italian bread
Wine Pairing: Vermentino
I have previously stated that any time there are tomatoes, that’s a good cue to serve Chianti. And while this does hold true for most tomato-based sauces, when served as a side dish, I actually preferred a glass of Vermentino.
Vermentino has enough acidity for the tomatoes, but its dry, slightly savory herbal character also pairs well with the parsley, garlic and olive oil.
Serve chilled.
To learn more about Vermentino, including tasting notes, serving tips, and food pairings, visit the full guide below.
During the heat of the summer, I try to stay away from longer oven recipes, but I found this recipe to be worth the exception.
The extended cooking time concentrates the flavor and sweetness of the tomatoes in a way you don’t get when serving them fresh. It was a good reminder that even at the height of tomato season, fresh isn’t always the only way I want to eat them.
This is also a recipe I’d make beyond the few weeks when summer tomatoes are at their best. Because so much of the flavor develops during cooking, I’m keeping this in mind for a way to use the less exciting tomatoes available during the rest of the year.
For the tools and ingredients used here, visit the shop page.
If you liked this recipe, you might also like:
- Frittata with Tomatoes and Basil
- Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad with Basil
- Braised Carrots and Parmesan
Download the Italian Wine Pairing Guide for a quick reference when choosing wine:
Next up in Cooking the Classics: Marcella Hazan’s Shredded Carrot Salad
About Stephanie
I’m cooking through classic cookbooks one recipe at a time, sharing tested recipes, wine pairings, and what I learn along the way. Each post includes notes from my own kitchen, along with practical wine recommendations designed to make choosing a bottle a little easier.
