Oven-dried Tomatoes

I learned how to make these many years ago.  My friend Sue, who is a superb cook, turned me on to them when we both made a lot of pasta and had a thing for sun-dried tomatoes.  (Actually, that's still the case.)

This way, you have quality control...you can pick the ripest, nicest tomatoes you can find.  I love storing them in olive oil.  That way, they stay pliable, and the oil picks up a lovely tomato-ey flavor that's so good on pasta.  I like to take two or three tomato halves and cut them up.  Usually the oil adherent to the tomatoes is enough to dress a serving of pasta.  Toss and top with Reggiano parmesan, and you have a dish fit for a king.

You need: 

an oven
a cookie sheet, or roasting pan, or some tin foil
tomatoes
red wine vinegar
olive oil
a clean glass jar with a lid (a washed jelly jar works great)

Heat the oven to 200 degrees.  Slice as many Roma tomatoes as you want to cook, lengthwise.  Place them skin-side down on the cookie sheet.  Place in the oven.

If runty or dry tomatoes, they will be done in eight or nine hours.  Fat, juicy ones will take ten to twelve hours.  Check the tomatoes now and then.  They should be leathery and dry, but still flexible when you remove them from the oven.  Anyway, it's a good thing to start this first thing in the morning.

When they are done to your liking, pour some vinegar and dunk each tomato in vinegar and then drop it into the jelly jar.  Pour olive oil over the tomatoes until they are submerged.  It's okay to pack them down into the jar.

I'm not sure what the vinegar does.  It may even keep the tomatoes-in-oil bacteriostatic.  They turn out great, though, so I'm not changing anything.

Oven-drying tomatoes like this concentrates the flavor and gives them an intense, sweet taste that is unique and delicious.  You can do lots of other stuff with these tomatoes as well.  They are delicious on a submarine sandwich, or on crusty bread with mozzarella and basil.  Or mix them in with mashed potatoes and drizzle some of the oil over the top.  You can also make a vinaigrette with the oil and some vinegar, and toss some chopped tomatoes into the salad.

I store them in the refrigerator.  I've had some that I stored at room temperature that developed mold (Eventually.  Tragic, really.).  The olive oil will solidify in the refrigerator, but melts to a nice golden color at room temperature.

Comments

[Keith Marshall]

That sounds seriously good. The foodies here must try it. Yum. :-)

[Chef Tom]

I love tomatoes. This recipe sounds great. Could use this on pasta or a nice summer sandwich :-p