12 large (ab 4 lbs) tomatoes, stemmed and quartered
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
12 large garlic cloves, peeled
salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
2 cups cold water
Preheat oven to 500 degrees
In a large bowl, mix tomatoes, 1/4 cup of olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Spread mixture out onto a non-reactive baking sheet. Roast in the oven until very dark in spots, 35 – 40 minutes. Remove and allow to cool a bit.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining 1/4 cup oil, the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until onions are very soft, 8-10 min, stirring occasionally. Add the 2 cups of basil leaves and saute for about 1 minute.
Add the roasted tomato mixture and the water to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Puree with an immersion blender. Mixture should be very smooth. Return mixture to a simmer.
Serve with croutons. Makes about 8, 1 cup servings.
