Slow roasting summer tomatoes is a great way to condense their flavor. They are delicious on panini, slivered and tossed into pastas and grain-based salads, or chopped into a tapenade-like paste.

Recipe: Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

A dozen fresh Roma tomatoes, cored and cut in half
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
A splash of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, thyme, a couple pinches of salt and a twist of the pepper mill in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Brush the oil mixture over each tomato and bake in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours, basting occasionally with more of the olive oil. They are done when their color darkens and their flavor mellows and condenses. Remove from the oven and allow them to sit at room temperature for 6-8 hours.