Cherry Tomato and Sausage Bake

This wonderful sounding and looking recipe has been included with the kind permission of Dinner du Jour.

Cherry Tomato and Sausage Bake
adapted from Jamie at Home by Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

Jamie suggests chopping up any leftovers to make into a chunky pasta sauce for penne or rigatoni, and I can vouch that it’s good.

3 to 4 1/2 lb (1.4 to 2 kg) ripe cherry tomatoes (mixed colors if you can find them)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 red onions, quartered (leave the root end intact so the quartered segments stay together)
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (not too small or they’ll burn)
10 to 12 good-quality butcher sausages or Italian sausages
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
crusty bread, mashed potatoes, rice or polenta, to serve
green salad, to serve

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Place the tomatoes, herbs, onions, garlic and sausages in a large roasting tray or casserole dish, one that can more or less fit all the tomatoes in one layer (or you could do individual casserole dishes, like I did in the photo, or divide everything between 2 trays/dishes if you don’t have one that’s big enough). Drizzle well with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper, then make sure the sausages are on top. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, then give the tray a shake and turn the sausages over. Continue cooking for 15 to 30 minutes more, depending on how golden and sticky you like your sausages.

If you think the sauce is a little too thin once the sausages are done, lift them out and place the tray on the stovetop to cook it down to the consistency you like, then put the sausages back in. Check the seasoning and serve either with a good crusty bread (great for mopping up the sauce!), mashed potatoes, rice or polenta, a green salad and a nice glass of wine.

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