Sun-dried tomatoes: recipe at home

Autumn is the time of vegetables. Making preparations for the winter, in addition to the traditional ones, do not forget about a fairly simple, but original recipe of aromatic cream tomatoes – sun-dried tomatoes. Cook them in the oven and you will get a wonderful addition to Mediterranean dishes or just a great appetizer. In addition, sun-dried tomatoes fully preserve all the useful properties and flavor of fresh tomatoes. How much time is needed for preparation and drying and how to store dried tomatoes properly?

How to make sun-dried tomatoes?

To begin with, remember that ripe tomatoes of the “cream” or “cherry” varieties are best suited for drying. They are harder with firm flesh, so they will be less deformed during preparation and will retain their juice directly during the cooking process.

Do not forget that during drying tomatoes shrink at least 10 times and reduce in size by about half. This should always be taken into account when choosing dishes for further storage.

What to eat sun-dried tomatoes with?

Sun-dried tomatoes can be eaten with many dishes such as:

Pasta: Add sun-dried tomatoes to your favorite pasta sauce or use them as decoration for a pasta plate.
Salad: Add sun-dried tomatoes to your favorite salad along with other vegetables such as cucumbers, peppers and lettuce leaves.
Sandwich: Add sun-dried tomatoes to your favorite sandwich along with meat, cheese and other vegetables.
Pizza: Add sun-dried tomatoes to your favorite pizza along with other toppings such as salami, mushrooms and olives.
Antipasti: Create your own antipasti with sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, meat and olives.
Soup: Add sun-dried tomatoes to your favorite soup for added flavor and texture.
Casserole: Add sun-dried tomatoes to your favorite casserole along with other vegetables and cheese.

What kind of oil to pour on sun-dried tomatoes?

Usually, sundried tomatoes are infused with olive oil, as this helps preserve their freshness and flavor. Pencil oil also adds an extra flavor profile to the tomatoes. However, you can use any other vegetable oil as desired.

Ingredients for making sun-dried tomatoes:

ripe tomatoes at the rate of 1-1.5 kg per baking tray
olive oil
a mixture of favorite herbs (oregano, rosemary, basil, thyme)
garlic
chili pepper
salt

Energy value of sun-dried tomatoes:

Calorie count: 2,940 calories
Fats: 305 grams
Protein: 7.7 grams
Carbohydrates: 49.3 grams

Step-by-step recipe for sun-dried tomatoes at home:

Rinse tomatoes well and pat dry.
Cut in half and remove the white part and stalk.
Carefully use a spoon to remove the seeds and excess pulp, which should never be thrown away. It will be useful for further use.
Line a baking tray or griddle with cooking paper or parchment and lightly spray with oil (ideally olive oil, but any odorless oil, such as refined sunflower oil, will do).
We heat the oven to 40-60 degrees, which means the whole process takes place at the lowest temperature your oven can heat to.
Place tomatoes cut-side up and lightly salt them to draw out excess moisture.
Dry the tomatoes for 5-7 hours with the oven slightly ajar.

After about 4 hours from the start of the process, periodically check the tomatoes for doneness. The tomatoes should remain slightly moist and soft, but not too dry so that they do not crumble.
When the tomatoes are ready, transfer them to a dry and clean container of your desired size.

Each layer of sun-dried tomatoes should be sprinkled with dried herbs, for example, a mixture of Italian or Provencal herbs, add a few cloves of garlic or chili peppers to taste. Optionally, a couple drops of wine or balsamic vinegar should be added.

After that, pour the contents of the jar or any other container with olive oil. This is to prevent the tomatoes from oxidizing during storage. Screw or cover tightly and store in a cool place for up to a year.
The sun-dried tomatoes are ready!

What do you eat sun-dried tomatoes with?

Use sun-dried tomatoes in fish and meat dishes, sauces, pizza, salads, pasta and baked goods.