Sun-dried tomatoes are a delicacy product and not cheap. But, if you take care of the production of your own harvests from tomatoes in the midst of the season, then this supply will not require significant cash costs, and the taste of homemade sun-dried tomatoes can surpass store-bought counterparts.
It is necessary
-
- tomatoes;
- sea salt (at the rate of 1 glass per 5 kg of tomatoes);
- dry herbs to your taste;
- baking paper;
- screen or pallet with gauze.
Instructions
Step 1
Small tomatoes such as cherry and ladies' fingers are best suited for your purposes. Choose firm, ripe, but not juicy fruits. The juicier the tomato, the longer it will take to dry.
Step 2
You can dry the tomatoes in the skins, or without them. Many people prefer to remove the skin from fresh tomatoes, and in dried form, it becomes even tighter. But this is a matter of taste. If you decide to peel the tomatoes, prepare a large pot of boiling water and a bowl of cold water and ice. Dip the fruits for 50-60 seconds, first in boiling water, and then dip them in an ice bath. After such an operation, the peel from the tomatoes will be removed with almost no effort.
Step 3
Cut the prepared tomatoes either in half or into quarters, depending on the size of the fruit. Remove the pulp near the stalk, free the large tomatoes from the seeds.
Step 4
If you are going to dry tomatoes in the sun, prepare either a special screen or a plastic low pallet that can be covered with gauze. Place the tomato slices a short distance apart in one layer, sprinkle with salt and dry herbs. Cover with gauze or lower the screen. It is best to place the container of tomatoes higher off the ground. A sun-warmed car roof is ideal. Make sure the wind does not topple your workpieces.
Step 5
Take the tomatoes indoors overnight to protect them from temperature drops and dew. The tomatoes will dry for several days. Ready-made sun-dried tomatoes are flexible, dark red, dry but not crunchy, similar to dried fruits.
Step 6
You can dry the tomatoes in the oven. To do this, place the prepared tomatoes on a baking sheet with cooking paper and put it in an oven heated to 50-60 ° C. Make sure the oven door is not closed securely. Tomatoes will be ready in 8-12 hours.
