Jump-start tomato season: roast some Romas for full-flavored tomatoes before slicers are ripe on the vine - Food: Adventures in Cooking

Sunset, June, 2003 by Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

On a recent trip through the Italian countryside, we enjoyed numerous picnics on sunny terraces. And though summer hadn't arrived and slicing tomatoes weren't ripe yet, Romas were prominently present--thick-walled and pearshaped. Raw, these tomatoes are a little flat-flavored and border on mealy. But heat brings out their great character-- tangy, succulent, and intense. These are the tomatoes of sauces and pastes for pasta and pizza. They're also marvelous roasted with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, and ginger. (Using the Lucini balsamic and olive oil I discovered near Modena and Livorno, respectively--also available in many supermarkets here--takes me back to Italy.)

Romas take a fair amount of time to soften as they roast, but in the process, they soak up a prodigious amount of flavor from our pungent additions. Serve the roasted halves on crisp toast spread with a mild citrus-flavored cheese for a fine first course; double the portions and add pink curls of prosciutto or thin slices of aromatic salami to make a light lunch dish. A cool, uncomplicated, crisp Italian Pinot Grigio or Orvieto wine is all you need alongside.

Roasted Roma Tomatoes on Toast

PREP AND COOK TIME: 11/2 tO 13/4 hours

NOTES: Make the lemon cheese and olive-oil toast while the tomatoes roast. Or roast the tomatoes (through step 3) and make the lemon cheese up to 2 days ahead; cover separately and chill. Bring to room temperature to serve.

MAKES: 8 appetizer, 4 main-dish servings

  8 Roma tomatoes (equal size,
    1 1/2 lb. total), rinsed and core
  1 onion (about 8 oz.), peeled and
    finely chopped
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
    Lemon cheese (recipe follows)
    Olive-oil toast (recipe follows)
    About 2 cups arugula leaves,
    stemmed, rinsed, and drained
    Salt

1. cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Lay halves cut side up in a single layer in an 8- by 12-inch oval or rectangular casserole (rim should be at least 1/2 in. higher than tomatoes).

2. In a 11/2- to 2-quart pan, combine onion, vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Pour over tomatoes.

3. Roast in a 400[degrees] oven (convection not recommended) until tomatoes are dark brown and sauce is browned and thickened (bubbles will be large and shiny), about 11/4 hours; baste tomatoes with sauce and onions about every 15 minutes at first, then more frequently as mixture begins to thicken, to avoid scorching. Use hot, warm, or at room temperature.

4. Spread lemon cheese equally on oiled sides of the olive-oil toast slices. Set on plates and cover equally with arugula leaves. Spoon tomatoes and juices equally onto toast slices. Add salt to taste.

Lemon cheese. In a food processor or bowl, combine 1/3 cup cream cheese (at room temperature), 1/3 cup packed fresh chevre (goat cheese), 2 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel. Whirl or beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until blended.

Olive-oil toast. Lay 8 slices of rustic white bread such as sourdough or ciabatta (about 3 by 4 in., cut about 1/2 in. thick) in a single layer in a shallow 10- by 15-inch pan. Bake in a 375[degrees] oven until lightly browned on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn slices over and brush equally with about 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Continue baking until golden brown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Use warm, or let cool on a rack.

Per piece: 285 cal., 44% (126 cal.) from fat; 6.2 g protein: 14 g fat (5.1 g sat.); 36 g carbo (2.3 g fiber); 261 mg sodium; 17 mg chol.