Oven-roasted Tomato Pesto

Posted on August 17, 2020 by nerinatimm in vegetables, vegetarian

This Oven-roasted Tomato Pesto is super easy to make and trust me you will eat it on everything. From sandwiches to biscuits, roast potatoes and even in salads.

The Oven-roasted Tomato Pesto takes sun-dried tomatoes to the next level. I love having jars of pesto in my fridge or cupboards. To be honest, I feel such a connection with my granny and mom, because I remember as a child, they always preserved fruit and vegetables. It was like there was a rhythm to every season. When a certain fruit or vegetable was in season, the logic thing was to preserve. Either blanche and freezer, making jam or to pickle.

Every meal just gets a face by adding an onion pickle, pickled radishes, pesto or a delicious homemade tomato sauce.

The tomato pesto, is just delicious on so many things. The ordinary cheese sandwich comes to life with a slather of this delicious tomato pesto. So basically you start with making your own “sun-dried” tomatoes, which is also a must have in your pantry. Except you will be making them in your oven. I love sun-dried tomatoes in this stuffed fillet, this labneh terrine, and oh my gosh, this baked Camembert.

Oven-roasted Tomato Pesto

makes about 500 ml

Ingredients

500g baby tomatoes

6 large un-pealed cloves garlic

30 ml vegetable oil

100 ml finely grated parmesan

a few sprigs rosemary or thyme – I prefer thyme

a few sprigs basil

100 ml Olyfberg Olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

juice and zest of 1 lemon

Method

Preheat oven to 100 C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Wash the tomatoes and cut in halves. Place all the tomato halves on the baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetable oil over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Place the garlic cloves in between tomatoes as well as the herbs of your choice. NOT THE BASIL. Place in the oven and slow roast until soft, but dry.

To make the pesto – Place all the dried tomatoes in a food processor. Squeeze the soft garlic from their skins into the processor. Add the olive oil, parmesan, juice and zest of the lemon as well as the basil and process until smooth. Taste and season to your liking. Spoon into clean sterilized jars and refrigerate.