ROASTED TOMATOES WITH PESTO SAUCE

Quick, easy and according to everyone who I made them for (I tried but didn't like - no surprise with my limited palate) DELICIOUS! These were all that were left as most disappeared when I went to grab my camera. 

My thanks to Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:

2 to 2 1/2 pounds large red tomatoes

3 tablespoons good olive oil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup pesto, store-bought (I got mine at the Italian Deli) or homemade (recipe follows)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Core the tomatoes and then slice them across (not through the stem) in 1/2 inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with the oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper.

Bake the tomatoes for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven, spread each slice with pesto, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Return the tomatoes to the oven and continue baking for 7 to 10 minutes, until the Parmesan is melted and begins to brown. Using a flat metal spatula, put the tomatoes on a serving platter, sprinkle with extra salt, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Pesto:

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup pine nuts

3 tablespoons diced garlic (9 cloves)

5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

11/2 cups good olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 30 seconds. Add the basil, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use immediately or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top. Makes 4 cups.