Time saver: if you’re going to eat tomatoes, eat them like this…

These tomatoes have an intense flavour and are great as part of an antipasto platter or in a salad. Mum taught me how to make these. I’m not sure if she got them off a recipe or made it up herself, but I’ve come up with the measurements below and they seem to work.

Note that you can use all sorts of different tomatoes when making these, you may need to adjust the cooking time down if using really small tomatoes, but the basic principle will be the same.

Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes

• 500g fresh ripe tomatoes (about 4 medium-large ones) or 300g smaller tomatoes
• 1-2 cloves finely chopped/1 tsp crushed garlic
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• several sprigs of fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Heat oven to 200°C.
2. Cut tomatoes into segments. If large, cut into sixths or eighths, if smaller, cut into halves or quarters.
3. Arrange tomatoes skin down (cut sides up) in a small roasting pan (optionally lined with baking paper).
4. Distribute the garlic evenly among the tomatoes, dropping a little bit onto each one with a teaspoon. Be sure to get some on every piece of tomato.
5. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
6. Lay sprigs of thyme across the tops of the tomatoes, again, ensure that all tomatoes come into contact with the thyme. Alternatively, if using dried thyme, sprinkle evenly over the tomatoes.
7. Gently drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes, then do the same with the balsamic vinegar.
8. Place tomatoes in the oven, and cook for 60 minutes. Check at 10 minute intervals after cooking for 40 minutes. When ready the tomatoes will have reduced in size, and be starting to brown around the edges. (If you keep cooking past this point they’ll get smaller and crispier – they’re still surprisingly tasty even when well-charred…)
9. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, then remove the sprigs of thyme from the top, transfer the tomatoes to a serving dish and serve.