The Next Best Thing...

If you are like me and cant wait for this seasons bounty of juicy, ripe, red, summer tomatoes than give this a try.
Go to the store pick out those barely red, hardly sweet supermarket plum tomatoes and throw them in the oven for a couple of hours. What you will pull out just might surprise you.

Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad

from Barefoot Contessa Bact To Basics

By Ina Garten

12 plum tomatoes, cut in half long way and seeds removed

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp sugar

salt and pepper

16 oz fresh mozzarella

12 fresh basil leaves

preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Arrange tomatoes on rimmed baking sheet, cut side up in a single layer. Pour olive oil and vinegar over tomatoes. Sprinkle with garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Roast for about two hours and let cool to room temp.

Slice mozzarella and layer with tomatoes and basil leaves. Drizzle with more olive oil and salt and pepper. Serve with grilled bread that has been drizzled with Olive oil, salt and pepper.

This should tide you over until August when the real thing comes along.