Author Topic: $20 worth of roasted tomatoes for $4  (Read 2474 times)

SailingOnASmallSailboat

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$20 worth of roasted tomatoes for $4
« on: January 16, 2020, 02:18:38 PM »
We love roasted tomatoes on homemade pizza. I usually have a bunch in the freezer, but we've been eating down from that so no stash of roasted goodness at the moment. When I went to the store today, I almost grabbed a container of the roasted ones.

$9.99 a pound.

Roma tomatoes were $1.99 a pound. I bought 2 pounds, cut them up when I got home and tossed them with olive oil, thyme, and some salt. They're roasting in the oven now. I do 300 degrees for an hour or two, or until they smell too good to resist.

I figure I saved $16 at least (okay, the olive oil cost something and that's not figured in, but there is oil in the $9.99/lb tomatoes too.) Plus no plastic.

MDM

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Re: $20 worth of roasted tomatoes for $4
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2020, 06:06:40 PM »
Bon appétit!

Naomi

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Re: $20 worth of roasted tomatoes for $4
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2020, 01:30:42 AM »
I never thought to do this, but am saving this for the future.
I make a chicken dish with roasted tomatoes and think this would work great.

Hula Hoop

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Re: $20 worth of roasted tomatoes for $4
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2020, 03:13:02 AM »
Dried, salted tomatoes are really cheap here at the food markets and they keep forever.  Basic "cucina povera" (poor person's cooking) from the south of Italy.  When you want to use them, you soak them in boiling water for 30 mins-an hour, then dry them on paper towels and put them in the fridge in a glass jar with lots of olive oil, a garlic clove and maybe some chilli.  They're really good on pizza and pasta dishes- also in sandwiches.  You can also make red pesto with them.

SailingOnASmallSailboat

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Re: $20 worth of roasted tomatoes for $4
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2020, 07:28:17 AM »
Dried, salted tomatoes are really cheap here at the food markets and they keep forever.  Basic "cucina povera" (poor person's cooking) from the south of Italy.  When you want to use them, you soak them in boiling water for 30 mins-an hour, then dry them on paper towels and put them in the fridge in a glass jar with lots of olive oil, a garlic clove and maybe some chilli.  They're really good on pizza and pasta dishes- also in sandwiches.  You can also make red pesto with them.

That's awesome. I wish dried tomatoes were cheap around here (I'm currently in central Virginia) but they're really expensive. I may have to look into drying my own for when tomatoes are in season as long-lasting shelf-stable foods are fabulous additions to any pantry. Thanks for the idea!

Hula Hoop

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Re: $20 worth of roasted tomatoes for $4
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2020, 02:01:24 PM »
Dried, salted tomatoes are really cheap here at the food markets and they keep forever.  Basic "cucina povera" (poor person's cooking) from the south of Italy.  When you want to use them, you soak them in boiling water for 30 mins-an hour, then dry them on paper towels and put them in the fridge in a glass jar with lots of olive oil, a garlic clove and maybe some chilli.  They're really good on pizza and pasta dishes- also in sandwiches.  You can also make red pesto with them.

That's awesome. I wish dried tomatoes were cheap around here (I'm currently in central Virginia) but they're really expensive. I may have to look into drying my own for when tomatoes are in season as long-lasting shelf-stable foods are fabulous additions to any pantry. Thanks for the idea!

They're very easy to make in the oven when tomatoes are in season and they keep forever.  http://blog.giallozafferano.it/thebigdreamfactory/oven-dried-cherry-tomatoes/

SailingOnASmallSailboat

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Re: $20 worth of roasted tomatoes for $4
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2020, 05:23:11 PM »
Dried, salted tomatoes are really cheap here at the food markets and they keep forever.  Basic "cucina povera" (poor person's cooking) from the south of Italy.  When you want to use them, you soak them in boiling water for 30 mins-an hour, then dry them on paper towels and put them in the fridge in a glass jar with lots of olive oil, a garlic clove and maybe some chilli.  They're really good on pizza and pasta dishes- also in sandwiches.  You can also make red pesto with them.

That's awesome. I wish dried tomatoes were cheap around here (I'm currently in central Virginia) but they're really expensive. I may have to look into drying my own for when tomatoes are in season as long-lasting shelf-stable foods are fabulous additions to any pantry. Thanks for the idea!

They're very easy to make in the oven when tomatoes are in season and they keep forever.  http://blog.giallozafferano.it/thebigdreamfactory/oven-dried-cherry-tomatoes/

Thanks for this. Will have to try it. We're moving onto a sailboat and having this kind of thing at my dinner disposal would be amazing. Saving weight and fridge space and all. Plus, I love tomatoes.

eyesonthehorizon

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Re: $20 worth of roasted tomatoes for $4
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2020, 02:18:52 PM »
Part of the added expense of the dried ones, pound for pound, is just that they contain so much less water - a pound of roasted tomatoes is a lot more tomatoes than a pound of fresh. But when you roast them at home you get free house heat plus control the spices and flavor of the end product, so I strongly favor DIY, preferably in massive quantities - once you've reduced their volume by roasting, the bulk can be easily frozen for long-term storage in warm/ humid climates. In long gray winter little can beat the aromatic intensity of a margherita pizza from the summer's basil frozen in olive oil plus dried, roasted tomatoes.

 

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