Roasted Garlic and Tomato Spread

Normally, I like to post once a week.  Why?  Because I cook in big quantities (I don’t know how to do it any other way), and making two recipes usually ends with me having too much food and it going to waste. 

But I wanted to give you a little preview.  I made a delicious spread in preparation for next week’s feast of a post.  And this stuff is so good, I just couldn’t wait to share it.  Actually, this stuff is so good, I’m already wishing I had made a double batch.  Oh well.

So by now you might have realized that I’m a sucker for caramelized onions.  I’m pretty sure I’ve featured them (and raved about them) in several posts.  They deserve it, they’re delicious. 

But you know what else I love but have yet to give any credit to?  Garlic.  Oh my, do I looooooove garlic.  And when you roast it and it becomes all soft and buttery, it makes me swoon.  Just give me some toast and a head of roasted garlic to put on it and I am one happy camper.

I don’t want to give too much away, but basically I needed to make a thick sauce or spread, and my mind immediately when to tomato sauce.  But that’s too boring.  And then I thought about the things I usually put into a tomato sauce.  And then I remembered garlic.  And how good it is.  And how I want some right now. 

My mind wandered in that direction for longer than I really want to admit, and this roasted garlic and tomato spread slowly formed.  I started with the roasted ingredients, threw them in my food processor, and played a little bit with the seasoning, though it didn’t need much.  The truth is, this is a super simple spread that takes very little effort and would probably taste great with any cracker or on any sandwich you can think of.  You could also toss it on some pasta and call it a day.  Or you could be like me and steal spoonfuls of it from the fridge when no one is looking. 

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Spread

Makes 1.5 – 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 head garlic

2 pints cherry tomatoes

2 teaspoons olive oil

8 basil leaves, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400F

1.  Line a jelly pan with aluminum foil.  Spread the cherry tomatoes on the pan and toss with one teaspoon olive oil to coat.

2.  Chop off the top (1/4 – 1/2 inch) of the head of garlic so that all the cloves are exposed.  Drizzle the rest of the olive oil over it so that it’s evenly coated, then wrap the head of garlic tightly and completely in aluminum foil to create a nice little package.

3.  Place both the pan and the garlic package in the oven (you can toss the garlic right on the rack) and roast for about 30 minutes.  The cherry tomatoes should have burst and will be just starting to blacken at this point.

4.  After 30 minutes, take the pan of tomatoes out and set aside to cool.  Check on the garlic.  The cloves should feel soft when you push on them.  If not, wrap it up and put it back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.  There's no such thing as over roasting the garlic (as long as it doesn't burn), so it's better to to add on a few more minutes if you're not sure.

5.  Once things have cooled off a bit, put the tomatoes, any juices that came off of them, and the garlic into a food processor along with the basil.  Pulse until everything is combined and adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.

This keeps for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Pair it with your favorite cracker, spread over some toast, or wait until Monday to see what I’m doing with it! 

Enjoy!