Dried tomatoes have become popular in recent years. They are very easy to prepare and have an unusual spicy flavor. Best for drying are ripe, not too large fleshy tomatoes with a dense structure.
It is best if ripened in the sun, not in a greenhouse, as tomatoes ripened in the sun have a more pronounced aroma and flavor. Choose tomatoes that are with a smooth and clean surface. They should be ripe but not too ripe, with no stains.
Choose hard tomatoes. Suitable are not only small tomato types, but even cherry tomatoes. Of about 15 kg fresh tomatoes, you will get about three pounds of dried tomatoes.
Prior to drying, you can wash them, cut them into slices and clean the seeds out. Choose whether to peel them, or not. Peeled tomatoes are dried faster but unpeeled retain their shape and have a more spicy flavor. You can also dry the tomatoes and not remove the seeds.
You can slice the tomatoes into slices, but also in halves or quarters, if you wish it so. For drying the tomatoes, you will need rosemary , oregano , basil , and for a richer flavor- add black pepper , cayenne pepper , coriander and ginger . It's good to crush the spices in a mortar before adding them to the olive oil , which you will pour on the tomatoes. You can also add chopped garlic too.
For drying, you will need sea salt . But it is only necessary if the tomatoes will be dried in the sun. The tomatoes are arranged in an oiled sieve that is covered with gauze. The tomatoes are turned twice a day and after a week- they are ready. At night, bring them into a room.
In the oven, no salt is needed. It is best to arrange the tomatoes on an oiled baking sheet. At temperatures of 100 degrees in the oven, the dried tomatoes will remain inside for ten hours. They should be dry, not cooked. You may from time to time open the oven door and leave it ajar, but for the first few hours, it is not good at all to open it.
Once cool, put the prepared tomatoes in a large pot and pour the olive oil with spices in.
