I've always liked the idea of sun-dried tomatoes, but in practice, they are invariably disappointing -- dry and tasteless. Now oven-roasted tomatoes, which have suddenly become widely available in specialty grocery stores, are just what sun-dried tomatoes should have been: tender, intensely flavorful, and remarkably versatile. Unfortunately, at $10 a pound, it's difficult to get as much use out of them as one would like. However, I've discovered that the same result can be achieved in one's home oven quite easily and inexpensively using ordinary plum tomatoes, which are typically sold in the same stores at one tenth the price.

The uses of these roasted tomatoes are limitless. Simply combined with some chopped basil and minced garlic, they make a fine bruschetta. For an antipasto plate, add a bit more olive oil and mix with mozzarella balls. They also make interesting sauces and work well on pizzas and in risottos.

Halve and core (unless you're lucky enough to find perfectly ripened specimens, red throughout) as many tomatoes as will fit in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cover with liberal amounts of salt, black pepper, and olive oil, and perhaps some balsamic vinegar. Bake at 300 F. for 45-60 minutes, until the edges just begin to brown.

Leave the skins on, as they help the tomatoes retain their form, unless the end result is to be a sauce. In this case, reduce the amount of salt, flip the tomato halves over after 30 minutes, slip the skins off, and continue to cook.