Sausage & Cherry Tomato Bake

A simple one-pot meal that's great for leftovers

Our friend has been raving about Jamie Oliver's sausage and tomato bake for years, and after finally trying it out, I can see why. The cherry tomatoes, Italian sausages, and herbs all roast together in the oven in a single dish. The tomatoes' flavor concentrates and becomes infused with the flavor of the meat, the sausage casings crisp up and brown, and a richly flavored sauce forms at the bottom of the pan. It's a great way to use late summer tomatoes, even soft and bruised ones, which you can often get a discount on at the farmers' market. You can spoon the roast onto plates and serve with crusty bread or over pasta or polenta. I purposely made a double batch so that we could enjoy it as is the first night and then chop up the leftovers to stir into spaghetti the next night.


Related Recipes:
- Polenta & Roasted Sausages
- One Pot Tomato Farro with Sausage
- French Lentils & Sausages


Roasted Sausage & Cherry Tomato Bake:

• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• In a large baking dish, add 1 1/2 lb. large cherry tomatoes, 4-5 Italian sausages, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 bay leaves, 3 whole garlic cloves, 2 tbsp. olive oil, and 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar.
• Season with a large pinch of salt and pepper and toss everything.
• Make sure the sausages are sitting on top of the tomatoes, then put in the oven.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then stir the tomatoes and flip the sausages.
• Cook for another 15 minutes.
• Let cool slightly, then serve.

Serves four