Makes enough for 1 pound of spaghetti or linguine

Prep: 10 minutes plus 20 minutes to cool Cook: 50 to 60 minutes

3	pounds	ripe plum tomatoes (about 16 medium), eac cut lengthwise in half
6	cloves	garlic, unpeeled
2	tablespoons	olive oil
3/4	teaspoon	salt
1/4	teaspoon	coarsely ground black pepper
		grated Roman cheese (optional)

• Preheat oven to 450°. In 15½" by 10½" jelly-roll pan, toss tomato halves and unpeeled garlic cloves with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange tomatoes, cut side down, in jelly-roll pan. Roast tomatoes and garlic 50 to 60 minutes, until tomatoes are well browned and garlic cloves are soft.
• Let tomatoes and garlic cool in pan 20 minutes or until easy to handle.
• Over medium bowl, carefully peel tomatoes. Place tomato pulp in bowl with any juice from jelly-roll pan. Squeeze garlic from skins into same bowl. Discard skins from tomatoes and garlic. With spoon, crush tomatoes and garlic. Stir in salt, pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Put the above ingredients in the container of food processor or blender and blend well for about 10 min.
• Serve sauce at room temperature or transfer to saucepan; heat over medium-low heat until hot. Serve with grated Romano cheese if you like.

  Makes about 3 cups.

  Each 1/2 cup: About 90 calories, 2 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 5 g total fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 290 mg sodium.