Is your garden suddenly overflowing with cherry tomatoes? This summery compote is your secret weapon. Keep it on hand for bruschetta; dollop on top of hummus; whisk the tomato-infused olive oil into dressings; toss it warm with pasta, basil, toasted pine nuts, and Parmesan; drizzle over grilled vegetables. It will keep refrigerated in a closed container for days. The recipe was developed for and featured on My Cortona Blog.

Cherry Tomato Ambrosia

Makes approximately 8 cups

9 cups (2,250 milliliters) red, yellow, or mixed cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) coarse salt
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) dried oregano
½ teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) red pepper flakes
4 cloves minced fresh garlic
1 cup (250 milliliters) olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300° F (149° C). Add all ingredients into a large ceramic or porcelain baking pan, and toss.

2. Place in oven and bake for 4 hours, tossing the mixture with a flat wooden spoon from time to time.

3. Remove from oven; use as wanted, refrigerating leftovers in a container with a lid. Reheat or serve at room temperature.

Sally develops recipes and writes blog posts for My Cortona Blog on the local real estate agency, Cortona International’s website. My Cortona Blog, written and coordinated by Rebecca Ghezzi, is a central information hub for Cortona lovers worldwide, keeping absent friends in touch with the happenings in town and providing valuable resources for residents. It showcases profiles of the many interesting people who live and visit Cortona, tips for travel, and upcoming events.