My favourite food on the face of the planet is the holy tomato. In the heat of the summer, the smell of tomatoes growing on the vine is intoxicating to me, the fragrance can take me back to my childhood, spending time with my Nana in her garden. This recipe is perfect for the end of the summer when you’ve plowed through the bounty of fresh tomatoes and you don’t think you can eat another. Roasting the tomatoes slowly brings out their sweetness and is a great alternative to the standard bruscetta. Roasting tomatoes is also a great way to use up tomatoes that are past their prime. You can even roast a large batch, which I highly recommend doing, and store them in the freezer to add to pasta sauces, soups or other dishes.  Use the bruscetta as a topping on burgers, instead of ketchup, or on a pizza instead of sauce. You will love it.

• 1 pint of grape tomatoes – or several pints, just sayin’ you’ll be making more tomorrow
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt, pepper
• 12 Basil leaves, sliced in thin strips
• 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
• Additions: Diced red chilies, toasted pine nuts, balsamic vinegar, chopped kalamata olives

Heat the oven to 250 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the tomatoes in half and combine them with the garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread them evenly on the baking sheet and roast slowly for 1.5 – 2 hours, or until they have lost most of their moisture. Once roasted, let the tomatoes cool thoroughly before combining with basil and Parmesan cheese. You can leave this recipe as is, or you can change it to better suit your taste. The real star of the recipe is the slow roasted tomato, get roasting.