Great with pasta or over Vegetarian Kasha Meatloaf, this sauce can also be used as a base for tomato soup, too.
Ingredients:
8 large tomatoes, or more, stems removed
4-8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
Olive oil
balsamic vinegar
Fresh thyme leaves, about 6-stems or more
1 very large red onion, halved and sliced into slices
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet with olive oil and place the tomatoes on the sheet. Sprinkle the onions all around and then the garlic. Tuck the sprigs of thyme under the tomatoes as much as possible.
3. Sprinkle generously with olive and balsamic vinegar and hive the pan a jiggle. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Be generous!
4. Bake until the tomatoes start to become mushy and very soft. Give the tomatoes a stir a few times during the cooking. This can take up to an hour. Keep checking so that they do not burn.
5. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Remove the thyme sprigs.
6. When cooed slightly, place some of the tomatoes in the blender to about half full. Take the roasted garlic and squeeze out of the skin into the blender with the tomatoes. Drizzle in some of the liquid from the pan. Cover and put a cloth over the top and puree to your desired consistency. Repeat this process until all the tomatoes are purees and the garlic is gone. Make sure to use all the liquid from the pan. I use the sauce just like this, but if you want a finer, smoother sauce, push the tomato sauce trough a fine meshed sieve to rid it of seeds and tiny bits of skin.
7. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. If it tastes too acidic, a few drops of maple syrup will round out the flavors.