Roast Tomato Sauce

A great way to use up all those tomatoes - freeze for a plentiful supply later on

(Recipe by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall)

You will need:

1kg ripe, full -flavoured tomatoes

2 - 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and freshly milled black pepper

Arrange the tomato halves, tightly packed but not on top of each other, in an ovenproof dish. Mix the garlic with the olive oil and drizzle evenly over the tomatoes.  Season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast in a medium-hot oven (180C/Gas Mark 4) for 35-45 minutes until the tomatoes are soft, pulpy and slightly charred. Rub through a sieve, discarding the skin and seeds.  Use for an instant pasta sauce, or try one of the following:

Cream of roast tomato soup:

Put the sieved tomatoes in a blender with an equal amount of good chicken stock and 3 rice cakes (or 3 tablespoons cooked rice). Blend until smooth, then reheat, check the seasoning and serve with a swirl of double cream or creme fraiche.

Crostini:

Spread the sieved roast tomatoes on slices of stake bread drizzled with olive oil, top each one with a slice of fresh mozarella or goats cheese and bake in a hot oven for ten minutes, until the cheese melts.