VN:R_U [1.9.9_1125]
  • Prep:
    15 min
  • Cook:
    240 min

Wine:

Serves: 

Season:

,

Ingredients

  • 20 roma tomatoes
  • 5 sprigs oregano fresh, try fresh thyme or basil before settling for dried oregano
  • sea salt flakes
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • icing sugar
  • extra virgin olive oil

Semi dried tomatoes, say it to some and they'll scrunch up their nose and make a "yucky" face, say it to others and they'll smile and move closer to you. The difference I think is that some have only tasted the jarred variety, while the latter group has tried the homemade variety or tasted them from a nice deli.

The difference is quite staggering; the ones from the jars often taste like an oily shoe with liquorice laces. While a proper freshly dried tomato can taste like you're actually eating a dozen tomatoes, with a bunch of fresh herbs and a whisper of extra virgin all in the one bite. Once you realize how easy it is to do your own you'll wonder why you ever put up with the over-dried over oiled store bought variety.

February 23, 2011, By Paul Hegeman

Method

  1. Preheat oven to approx 110 degrees (230 fahrenheit)
  2. Cut each tomato in half lengthwise and arrange on a drying/cooling rack.
  3. Set rack on a baking pan/sheet.
  4. Drizzle oil lightly along the rows of tomato halves.
  5. Strip the leaves off the stems of oregano and sprinkle liberally over tomatoes.
  6. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Dust very lightly with powdered/icing sugar.
  8. Place tray and rack in oven and leave for at least 4 hours, taste one at this point, if you like them drier keep going, up to 16 hours for very dry.
  9. If they won't be consumed within a couple of days store them covered in oil, (but please use a nice virgin oil, not a blasphemous vegetable oil over your beautiful tomatoes).