Dried tomatoes

Dried tomatoes are a very special delicacy and add an extravagant touch to dishes. They can be bought dry or preserved in oil.

Preserving tomatoes is a tradition in the Mediterranean region. In these warmer regions, the tomatoes are simply spread out in the sun and dried. In our latitudes, the sun is too weak for this. Nevertheless, you don't have to do without making your own!

The most suitable tomatoes for drying are the oval, fleshy ones - which you can find everywhere at the market or on the supermarket shelves in summer. To make the effort worthwhile, process at least two to three kilos at a time. This quantity of tomatoes will yield around two cups of dried delicacies.

Drying in the oven
Cut the tomatoes crosswise on the underside. Scald the tomatoes with hot water for one to two minutes. Rinse them with cold water and peel off the skin. Remove the stem with a kitchen knife. Whether you remove the seeds or not is up to you. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise or cut them into three or four slices. Lay them out on baking racks or on baking trays lined with baking paper. Sprinkle them with a little salt. Dry the tomatoes in the oven at 90 degrees for 1 to 5 hours - depending on the water content of the tomatoes. The oven door should be left slightly ajar. You can also turn the oven off at night and continue drying the next day. Turn the tomatoes every hour and move the trays so that all the tomatoes are ready at the same time.
You can tell that they are dry when the tomatoes become leathery and dry. But not crumbly, then they are already too dry.

• Tip:
  If you are using baking trays, it makes sense to turn the tomatoes frequently so that the juice can evaporate evenly.
  Found at Frag Mutti.de

Preservingdried tomatoes
Peel and halve one clove of garlic for each jar of tomatoes you want to preserve. Place the garlic and dried tomatoes in a jar that can be sealed tightly. Pour a good olive oil over everything. Close the jar tightly and store it in a cool place for 2 weeks.
And now it's up to your imagination. You can give your antipasti tomatoes a personal touch. Add various herbs and spices to the jar and let them affect the taste.
The tomatoes are particularly delicious with rosemary, thyme, chilli or sage.

Found at lecker.de

Enjoy your own sun-dried tomatoes with cold dinners, barbecues and, of course, pasta dishes.

Bring the south to your table.

En Guete.