Before I became a farmer I didn't know there was a difference in tomatoes. Obviously, I had seen heirloom and cherry tomatoes at the farmers market, but aside from that, I didn't know that the tomatoes you make sauce out of were different. I love to cook and was inspired to play more in the kitchen when I started helping friends who were chefs first and then became farmers. But it wasn't until I moved to Corvallis and started working at Sunbow that I was introduced to the paste tomato. At first, I didn't understand why you would grow a smaller, more firm, less juicy tomato! Years later I know their magic well and want to share it with you. Please know that this isn't a precise recipe, it's an example of how you can play in your kitchen so measurements are approximate!
2-3 lbs of paste tomatoes (for a sweeter and saucier sauce, sub 1 pound of slicing tomatoes)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teasoons of salt or more to taste
2-4 cloves of garlic
Optional: your choice of aromatics like herbs washed and finely chopped or roasted fennel seeds or crushed chile flakes
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and slice your tomatoes lengthwise. If you're using slicig tomatoes, quarter or cut them as needed so they are about the same size as the paste tomatoes. Arrange single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Tomatoes will release liquid when roasted so make sure your baking sheet has a rim! If you're nervous about mess, use a cake pan.
Roast for 45 to 90 minutes or until the edges of the skins start to char but don't wait until they are more black than brown. When they are ready, remove them from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
Carefully scoop them into a blender with a slotted spoon. Set the liquid from the roasting pan aside. Blend the tomatoes at high speed until you reach a smooth sauce, you can no longer see bits of skin or seeds. Add your salt, olive oil and raw garlic, then blend until smooth and completely emulsified. Your sauce will change color when it reaches this stage. It will go from red to a creamy red or orange color. If it's too thick out of the blender, add some of your cooking liquid until it's the consistency you like.
Here's where you can jazz it up with any herbs you want. The obvious choice is basil but you can alo play with crushed fennel seeds, chile flakes, black pepper, oregano, parsley, tarragon and thyme. Pour the sauce into a pot with any of your jazz and bring to a simmer on medium low heat then reduce the heat to low until it reaches the thickness you desire. Tastse as you go, get to know your sauce at the different stages, and have fun!