How to make oven dried tomatoes

Tomatoes are quite cheap these days and it’s the best time to make tomato sauce or dried tomatoes and preserve them. Honestly speaking, I have never tasted store bought sun dried tomatoes, but have read that home made ones taste much better than them. So, why don’t we try to make it at home. Actually we can always sun dry them and store them, but Chennai is not super sunny these days. But I shall surely try to sun dry them in the coming months. But for the time being, let’s them dry them in the oven and see how it is. As of now, I do not know the shelf life of these oven dried tomatoes, but I shall surely update my experience soon.

All you need is some nicely ripen firm tomatoes, salt, some olive oil and whole lot of patience 🙂 You can add some herbs too if you may like. Bake them at a very low temperature for a real long time. Believe me it tastes yum. I already ate 2-3 pieces.

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes 1 kg
• Salt 1 tsp
• Olive oil 2 tbsp

Method:

• Wash the tomatoes nicely and pat the dry.

• Slice the tomatoes into half lengthwise.

• Drizzle salt and olive oil on top.

• Preheat the oven at 100-120 degree Celsius for 10 minutes.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Layer the tomatoes on the baking tray with the cut side up.

• Bake for 3-4 hours till the tomatoes look a bit dried up.

• Bake for a longer time if you want it very dry.
• Store it in dried and sterilized glass jars with a nice drizzle of olive oil on top to prevent it from spoilage.
• Store in refrigerator and use it in pizzas, focaccia, pasta, bruschetta and as toppings.