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Dried Tomatoes at Home in the Oven
Instructions
Wash the tomatoes thoroughly, pat them dry with paper towels and cut them into halves or quarters depending on size. You can scoop out the seed chambers with a spoon – this way the tomatoes dry faster and turn out meatier. I use the "Slivka", "Lady's Fingers" or "Rio Grande" varieties – meaty, with a minimum of juice.
Sprinkle the tomatoes with coarse sea salt and a mixture of ground peppers. Drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil – sunflower oil would give a flat, characterless taste that is not Italian. Lay them out on a baking tray cut side up, without overlapping. Dry them in the oven for 2–5 hours at 100 °C in "Convection" mode – convection matters because it keeps the air circulating and dries the tomatoes evenly.
The dried tomatoes are ready – there should be no liquid left in the centres. A finished dried tomato shrinks to roughly a third of its original size, turns dark red and feels leathery to the touch, yet keeps a slight flexibility – neither dry nor brittle.
Pack the finished snack into sterilised jars in layers: tomatoes and a mixture of aromatic herbs (dried garlic, basil, thyme). Pour over extra virgin olive oil so that the tomatoes are completely covered, by 5–7 mm on top – it is the oil that works as the preservative.
Sterilise the jars for 15 minutes in a hot water bath and seal them for the winter with metal lids, or close them with plastic lids and keep them in the refrigerator.
Tips
- 1
Choose meaty tomato varieties such as "Slivka", "Lady's Fingers" or "Rio Grande" – they have less juice and more "flesh" for proper drying.
- 2
The drying time of 2–5 hours depends on the size and juiciness of the tomatoes – go by the look and texture, not by the minutes.
- 3
Add dried Italian herbs – basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary – for an authentic Mediterranean aroma. Pesto sauce is made on a similar principle.
- 4
Store them in a dark, cool place – the olive oil acts as protection against spoilage and extends the shelf life.
FAQ
Can I dry tomatoes in a vegetable dehydrator? +
Yes, the process is exactly the same – use a dehydrator with temperature control set to 70–80 °C. The drying time will increase to 6–12 hours depending on the power of the dehydrator. Go by the look – there should be no liquid in the centres, but the texture stays flexible. A dehydrator is more economical than an oven in terms of electricity during long drying and does not "tie up" the oven. You can also dry tomatoes in direct sunlight (the classic Italian method) – this needs 2–3 hot, dry days without rain.
How do I use dried tomatoes in cooking? +
Serve them with soft cheeses (mozzarella, brie, goat's cheese) – a classic Italian appetiser. Add them to pizza (especially "Margherita" or "Four Cheese"), focaccia, bruschetta, or ciabatta with pesto. Use them to stuff chicken breast, as a filling for pork rolls, or in pasta sauces (they go well with basil and cheese). They are wonderful in salads with rocket, mozzarella and olives. Do not throw away the oil from the tomatoes – cook pasta in it or use it to dress salads.
How long do dried tomatoes keep? +
In olive oil in the refrigerator under a tight lid – up to 3 months; keep an eye on the tomatoes so that they stay completely covered with oil at all times. In sterilised, hermetically sealed jars in a cool, dark place – up to a year. If mould appears on the surface, throw away the whole jar. You can freeze dried tomatoes without oil in zip-lock bags – they keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. Defrost them at room temperature before use.
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