Big bold flavors, and super-fast. Isn’t that want you want sometimes? Thick sliced, roasted tomatoes with a dollop of pesto and melted cheese.
With early tomatoes appearing in farmers’ markets and gardens, now is a good time to bring out their full flavor with a quick roast. Some of my favorite things to make are what I call “barely recipes.” Meaning, those that have few ingredients, and use few processes. This way, good ingredients really shine.
During a hectic workweek or weekend, these “barely recipes” are all the better. This makes a great side dish and pairs well with my Synergy Pasta (Penne with Lemon, Olives and Tuna). Boom! Dinner!
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Quick Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto and Cheese
Ingredients
- 3-4 large ripe tomatoes
- 1/4 recipe Arugula pesto (gregnelsoncooks, search “the diversity of (arugula) pesto)”.
- 3-4 ounces of cheese (raw mozzarella, goat and feta work well)
- Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Directions
- Pre-heat oven or grill to 425F (218C) with rack in the upper third of the oven
- Prepare a quarter portion of arugula pesto according recipe, or use your own. You’ll have leftover pesto (use it on fish, chicken or pasta!)
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray or brush with vegetable oil
- Thickly slice tomatoes, 4 slices per tomato
- Lay the tomato slices evenly spaced on the baking sheet
- Lightly sprinkle with kosher or sea salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper
- Spread 1 teaspoon of pesto on each tomato slice, leaving a little boarder around the perimeter
- Slice cheese and place on top of pesto
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until cheese is lightly browned. Note that not all types of feta cheese melt, but it will be good all the same. It’s up to you if you want to remove the skin after it bakes (I don’t).
- Drizzle olive oil or extra pesto on slices before serving, if desired.
Greg Nelson Cooks 
I enjoyed a tomato, feta and balsamic vinegar salad last night, but I didn’t think about roasting them. Great idea.
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Simple tasty summer recipe!
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