How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes. An Explosion of Flavor
Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil are an Italian delicacy that’s becoming more and more popular. Used in small dosage, they will offer an explosion of taste to your various dishes. And having them homemade and conserved in mason jars over winter is not difficult at all. We’ll tell you how to make sun-dried tomatoes and keep them in olive oil and we’ll suggest some dishes where they go great.
Ingredients:
- homegrown tomatoes, preferably some tasty varieties
- olive oil, though sunflower works just as well
- garlic
- basil
- salt
How to make sun-dried tomatoes. The drying
Cut the tomatoes into thick slices of about 1 cm. If you use cherry tomatoes, cut them in half.
Place the slices on a grill above a tray or directly in the tray on one layer. You can sprinkle a little salt and some minced parsley on them.
Put them in the oven. If you have an electric oven, you’ll keep them for 8 to 10 hours at a temperature of 120 – 160 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re using one on gas, 4 – 6 hours will be enough.
Actually sun-drying them will take between 4 and 6 days. You can also combine the two methods and leave the tomatoes in the sun for as long as you can afford and finish drying them in the oven.
How to make sun-dried tomatoes. Marinating
When you have your slices well-dried, mix them with some diced garlic cloves and minced basil leaves.
Put them in jars, pressing with a spoon to get a larger quantity inside. Add oil until the jar in completely full, there should be no air inside. Mix with a spoon if you need to to eliminate all the air bubbles that might form. Put the lids on and keep the jars in a basement or pantry, away from the light.
Dishes
Sun-dried tomatoes can be served with goat cheese or just on bread, as well as used in several cold and warm dishes: salads of all kinds, hummus, guacamole and other spreads, rice, pasta, cream soups etc.
Credits: paradisverde.ro, verdearomat.blogspot.ro
Photo credits: philosokitchen.com
