I like to kick off the tomato-sauce-making season with roasted sauce. It's perfect when you have a fair amount of tomatoes, but now enough to justify going through all the effort of canning. I found this recipe years ago in
Everyday Food (you're the best, Martha), and have made it countless times since.
I start by coating my pans with plenty of olive oil, thyme, salt & pepper, then layer sliced onions, and halved & cored tomatoes. Add a little more oil on top, and toss them in the oven.
After about an hour or so they look like this.
I let them cool on the counter for a bit, and then pinch off the tomato skins.
Then I toss everything in a pot, and break out the emulsion blender. (
This is the best thing ever -- and so cheap!)
Sometimes I puree just a little bit, and sometimes I make it smooth. I let it cook down for a little while, then let it cool and get it ready for the freezer. Damn, it's good!