How to cook dried tomatoes. How to dry tomatoes in an electric dryer - a delicious recipe for sun-dried tomatoes. Advantages of drying tomatoes in an electric dryer

The tradition of drying tomatoes at home is widespread mainly in Italy, Australia and Asian countries. In Russia, this method of preparing and storing these vegetables is not yet widespread. But in vain, since dried or, in other words, sun-dried tomatoes are an excellent snack, used in salads, first courses, pizza, and stews. Dried tomatoes have an intense flavor, and if they are treated with spices, the aroma and taste can be unique. Dried vegetables can be stored for up to a year.

Which tomatoes to choose for drying?

For drying, you should choose small tomatoes that contain a small amount of juice inside. They must be ripe, not rotten, and free of stains. Vegetables grown in the garden, not in a greenhouse, have the best aroma. The most suitable are small plum-shaped varieties with a minimum of seeds and juice. At the end of the day, these tomatoes lose about 90% of their weight. Other varieties contain more liquid, so the yield may be only 5% of the original weight. In addition, this increases the drying time, since more liquid must evaporate. Pink and yellow varieties also have more juice, so it is recommended to use traditional red tomatoes.

To prepare the vegetables themselves for the drying process, they must be washed, the roots removed, and cut crosswise into small rings or lengthwise into several pieces. The slices should be small so that the water evaporates faster. It is advisable to leave the peel - although this will increase the cooking time, it will allow the tomatoes to retain their shape. The seeds should also be removed.

Methods for drying tomatoes

Drying tomatoes at home can be done in 2 ways: outdoors in the sun and in the oven. The first method is applicable for residents of the private sector, since apartment buildings do not have the best conditions for such a process - even on the balcony the intensity of the sun's rays drops many times. But such tomatoes acquire a natural taste and aroma. applicable in almost any conditions, it requires less time and effort.

When dried naturally, tomatoes will take an average of 5-10 days to become dried, depending on the intensity of solar radiation and the amount of juice in the vegetables. Tomatoes should be placed lightly on racks or sieves, preferably with a non-metallic base. This is caused by the possibility of tomatoes sticking, as well as chemical reactions due to which vegetables can become saturated with harmful elements. The top of the tomatoes should be covered with gauze to protect them from insects. To prevent the tomatoes from spoiling, they must be salted with coarse sea salt, which should evenly saturate the entire surface of the vegetables. At night, dishes with dried tomatoes should be removed indoors so that when morning dew falls, they do not gain moisture. They need to be turned over several times a day.

Drying in the oven requires constant temperature control, since vegetables are susceptible to overdrying and baking. The time this process takes can range from 3 to 15 hours depending on the temperature and amount of moisture in the tomatoes. It is advisable not to dry them at temperatures above 80 degrees. This will preserve the nutrients, but then the minimum drying time will be 8-10 hours. Tomatoes can be treated with salt and spices, placed cut side up on a baking sheet and placed in the oven, turning them over from time to time.

Storage

You can store dried tomatoes in glass jars in the refrigerator. To do this, vegetables should be poured with sunflower oil. You can add spices (garlic, pepper, rosemary, basil), cheese, which will give the tomatoes a piquant taste. So tomatoes can be stored for up to six months. If they are frozen, the storage time can increase up to a year.

Dried tomatoes are a product that is very popular among the Mediterranean people. As a rule, they are used for preparing hot fish, meat and vegetable dishes. In addition, dried tomatoes are often added to various salads, sauces, gravies, and used as a filling for baked goods. As for our country, sun-dried tomatoes have become popular among Russian residents quite recently. It should be noted that dried tomatoes have a rather unusual and piquant taste.

General Product Information

To make your own dried tomatoes, you don’t need any special culinary knowledge. But if you want to get really delicious dried vegetables, then you will need to reserve enough time.

It should be noted that many housewives are interested in the question not only of how such a product can be dried, but also of how to store dried tomatoes at home. You will find the answer to these and other questions about sun-dried tomatoes in this article.

Methods for drying tomatoes

Few people know how to prepare dried tomatoes at home, and to remedy this situation, we decided to present you with three proven methods for drying fresh tomatoes. These include:

Electric dryer.
Oven.
Sun.

Let's consider all the presented methods in more detail.

Drying tomatoes in an electric dryer

Dried tomatoes, the recipe for which involves the use of a special electric dryer, are prepared quite easily and simply. To wilt vegetables, wash them well, cut them into halves or quarters, remove the middle part with a spoon, leaving only thick and elastic walls with peel. As for the pulp, you should not throw it away, as it is ideal for making goulash or tomato paste.

After the described actions, the resulting “boats” should be flavored to taste with Italian herbs and salt. Next, they need to be placed on the grill of an electric dryer so that the cut of the vegetables faces upward. Having set the temperature to 70 o C, the tomatoes should be kept in the device for about 5-6 hours. During this time, excess moisture from fresh tomatoes will evaporate, they will become more flexible, aromatic, rich in color and taste.

Dried tomatoes: recipe in the oven

The process of drying vegetables in the oven is the most popular drying method, because not every housewife has at her disposal the above-mentioned electrical appliance. It should be noted that this method requires special care, because if you leave tomatoes in the oven unattended, they can dry out or burn very quickly.

So, to prepare sun-dried tomatoes in the oven, we need a couple of kilograms of not very large vegetables. They should be washed well in hot water and then cut in half. Next, you need to remove the middle part from the tomatoes so that you end up with “boats” with thick walls.

After processing the vegetables, take a large baking sheet and line it with baking paper. Next, you should place the prepared tomatoes on it, which it is advisable to first sprinkle with allspice and salt. It is recommended to place vegetables on a baking sheet with the cut side up.

After filling the sheet, it must be placed in the oven, which was preheated to 90 o C. Open the door slightly and dry the tomatoes in these conditions for about 6-7 hours. At the same time, they should be monitored regularly so that they do not dry out or burn.

Drying vegetables in the sun

How to use dried tomatoes? You will find the answer to this question below. Now I would like to tell you about the third and longest drying process.

The process of sun-driing tomatoes can take several days. It should be noted that this method is not suitable for everyone. First, you must live in a very hot region. Secondly, the place for drying tomatoes should be located in an ecologically clean area. The ideal option would be a house in the village. If you live in a large metropolis, then in the process of drying tomatoes on the balcony, vegetables can easily absorb all the city dust and other harmful substances that are inherent in any densely populated area.

Thus, if the place where you live is ideal for drying tomatoes in the sun, then you should wash them well, cut them and remove the middle part, as described just above. Next, the vegetables must be placed on a tray or sheet with the cuts facing up and covered with not very thick gauze. The filled dishes must be placed in the sun. The tomatoes need to be turned over periodically. If the weather permits, the drying process will take you no more than 4-5 days. If it suddenly starts to rain, you can complete the drying using an oven or electric dryer.

Method for storing tomatoes in oil

Dried tomatoes in oil, the recipe for which we will consider below, are the most popular way to store dried vegetables. Tomatoes prepared in this way do not spoil for a very long time. Moreover, they are ideal for the dining table, where they can be placed as an original, tasty and aromatic snack.

So, to make dried tomatoes in oil, you need to prepare:

refined sunflower or olive oil - use at discretion;
fresh garlic cloves - about two heads;
dried tomatoes - approximately 2-3 kg.

Cooking process

To make dried tomatoes in oil, you need to dry the tomatoes in advance using any method described above. Remember that the vegetables should not dry out, make sure that they remain soft and pliable. Also, before direct preservation, you need to peel the garlic cloves and cut them into very thin slices. Place the garlic in a frying pan, add olive or sunflower oil and heat slightly over medium heat. It should be especially noted that vegetable oil only needs to be calcined, but under no circumstances boiled.

After the tomatoes and marinade are ready, you need to sterilize half-liter glass jars with screw caps using any method known to you. Place sun-dried tomatoes in containers, topping each layer with garlic slices. Next, the multilayer workpiece must be filled with warm oil. Additionally, adding salt and other seasonings to the vegetables is not recommended, since during drying the tomatoes were already flavored with all kinds of spices. After filling, the jars should be tightly closed and left until the oil cools completely for several hours. Next, the blanks need to be placed in the refrigerator or any other cool room. It is advisable to store tomatoes in oil in such conditions for about 4-5 months, no more.

Other storage methods

Dried tomatoes, which have very different uses, can be stored for a long time not only in oil. For example, some housewives prefer to put dried vegetables in thick linen bags, glass or plastic jars, and even bags. If you choose this storage method, remember that for greater safety it is advisable to store them in a dry and dark room. In this case, sun-dried tomatoes will remain suitable for consumption for six months.

By the way, lovers of dried tomatoes often use a regular freezer for storage. The products are placed in special bags for freezing and then sent into the cold. In such conditions, tomatoes can be stored for about 7-8 months. But, unfortunately, not everyone has extra space in the freezer where they could put a large amount of dried vegetables. In this regard, we recommend that you use the above storage methods.

How to use in cooking?

Dried tomatoes are a fairly versatile product from which you can make goulash, stewed vegetables, soups, gravies, sauces, pizza and even salads. It should be noted that dried tomatoes give the finished dish a special taste and aroma.

So, how can you make your own salad with dried tomatoes? For this we will need the following products:

Cooking method

To quickly and easily make this unusual salad, you must strictly follow all the requirements described below.

First, toast the shelled pine nuts in a frying pan. Once their aroma is strong, turn off the pan and pour the nuts into a cup.
Take a deep salad bowl and place any green salad leaves in it.
It is necessary to cut fresh cucumbers into thin and long strips.
Prepare a flavorful dressing. To do this, you need to add brine from canned olives to refined olive oil, and then squeeze the garlic into the same bowl. After salting and peppering the ingredients, they need to be seasoned with grated Parmesan, mix well and let sit for several hours.
Dried tomatoes should be cut into very thin strips.

Once you have prepared all the ingredients, you can safely begin to formulate the dish. To do this, you need to place straws of cucumbers and sun-dried tomatoes on green lettuce leaves. Next, lay out small pieces of soft cheese and sprinkle with roasted pine nuts. Finally, pour the formed salad with aromatic dressing.

Let's sum it up

As you can see, it is not at all difficult to dry tomatoes at home. Moreover, there is no need to have special culinary knowledge to preserve such a product in oil. It should be noted that by adding dried tomatoes to various dishes, you give them an unsurpassed aroma and taste.

It turns out that tomatoes can not only be salted and dried, but also dried. True, drying tomatoes is not particularly common in Russia; it is trusted more in Europe and Asian countries. Dried tomatoes are used in stews, sauces, pizza, and first courses. Today we will tell you how to properly dry tomatoes at home.

First of all, you need to prepare tomatoes suitable for cooking in this way. You should take medium-sized fruits that contain a small amount of juice inside. Tomatoes must be ripe and free of spots and signs of rot. The product will be more flavorful if you dry tomatoes grown not in a greenhouse, but in a garden, preferably your own, because only in this case can you be sure that the vegetables are not stuffed with dangerous chemicals.

Tomatoes suitable for drying are washed well, the stalks are removed, cut into small rings (the cooking time directly depends on the thickness), the tomatoes should not be peeled, but it is better to remove the seeds.

There are several ways to dry tomatoes for the winter:
1. In the oven,
2. In an electric dryer,
3. In the sun.

And now more details about each method.

How to dry tomatoes in the oven

Place the tomato slices prepared for drying on a baking sheet. Place in the oven, preheated to 80 degrees. At this temperature, it will take up to 15 hours to dry the tomatoes. Don't forget to turn the tomatoes periodically and make sure they don't dry out. Finished dried tomatoes should not break when pressed.

How to dry tomatoes in an electric dryer

Drying tomatoes in an electric dryer is practically no different from performing this procedure in the oven. We place the tomatoes cut into portions on trays, if desired, sprinkle with seasonings - black pepper, thyme, and send them to dry at a temperature of no more than 80 degrees. Do not forget to change the trays in places, this will ensure that the vegetables dry evenly.

How to dry tomatoes in the sun

Place the sliced tomatoes on non-metallic racks. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Expose it to the sun. Cover the top with gauze. Tomatoes should be turned over during the day. At night, tomatoes need to be brought indoors so that they do not gain excess moisture. Tomatoes, depending on the variety, the size of the slices and the intensity of the sun, will be ready in 5-10 days.

Drying tomatoes is quite a labor-intensive task, but it's worth it. However, it is not enough to simply dry the tomatoes; they should also be preserved until winter.

How to store dried tomatoes

There are several ways to store dried tomatoes:
1. Place dried tomatoes in a bag and put in the refrigerator. So they will not lose their properties for two months; if stored in the freezer, then the shelf life of the product will be increased to 6 months.
2. Place dried tomatoes in a pre-sterilized glass jar, add seasonings (pepper, garlic, rosemary, basil), pour in olive oil and roll up. Tomatoes can be stored this way for at least six months.

Sun-dried tomatoes in the store are very expensive. But it’s quite easy for the lucky owners of electric dryers to prepare them themselves in the summer, when tomatoes are very cheap.

Taste Info Tomatoes for the winter / How to dry...

Ingredients

Tomatoes – 5 kg;
Balsamic vinegar – 3 tsp;
Sunflower oil – 130-150 ml;
Salt, sugar, spices.

How to cook sun-dried tomatoes in an electric dryer for the winter

If you buy tomatoes specifically for this preparation, it is best to give preference to small plum-shaped varieties. They have a very convenient size and shape. But their main advantage is that they are sweet and meaty. It is quite possible to use medium-sized tomatoes of any variety from your own garden beds.
Stage 1. Preparing tomatoes
Tomatoes should be washed thoroughly. Cut the tomatoes into halves or quarters depending on size. If you use regular (not plum-shaped) varieties of tomatoes, it is best to remove the juice and seeds, trying to preserve the partitions (the pulp is valuable, after all). If you prepare sun-dried tomatoes from plum tomatoes, then God forbid you remove such a valuable core from them. It is the seeds that will give sun-dried tomatoes additional taste and aroma.

Stage 2. Preparing the mixture for sprinkling
In a separate bowl, mix salt, sugar and herbs. The proportions can be any (optimally 1:1:1). Only dry herbs should be used. Since this preparation does not undergo heat treatment, the use of fresh herbs can lead to rapid spoilage of sun-dried tomatoes. In addition, it is dry herbs that give greater aroma. Traditionally, mixtures of Provencal or Italian herbs and basil are used. However, overseas herbs are not to everyone's taste. For such people, it is better to use ground black pepper, parsley, and dill. The amount of herbs in the mixture depends only on individual preferences. It is better to use coarse salt (sea or rock). Because fine salt dissolves quickly and runs the risk of “escaping” from the tomato pieces along with the juice. Sugar must also be present in the mixture. Salt and sugar act as preservatives. And it will be much tastier this way.

Stage 3. Drying
Sprinkle the tomato pieces with the prepared dry mixture and lightly sprinkle with vegetable oil (more on that later). In no case should you add garlic at this stage, since when heated it changes its aroma not for the better. Place the tomato pieces on the electric dryer trays in one even, dense layer.

All that remains is to turn on the dryer and wait, enjoying the wonderful aromas. You will have to wait from 10 to 16 hours. Drying time, of course, depends on the size of the pieces. Pallets need to be swapped periodically. The main thing is not to overdry. Almost all the liquid should evaporate from the tomatoes. At the same time, they must remain soft and flexible. You need to check by pressing. If no juice comes out, the tomatoes are ready.

Stage 4. Preservation
Olive oil is traditionally used as a filling. However, experience has shown that ordinary sunflower oil is no worse. The oil is quickly saturated with the aroma of herbs and the taste of tomatoes. After a couple of weeks of storage, perhaps only gourmets will be able to distinguish sunflower oil from olive oil by taste. Mix the oil with balsamic vinegar and garlic slices. The amount of garlic is optional. You can do without it altogether.

So, pour a little filling into the bottom of a dry, sterile jar.

Our sun-dried tomatoes are ready, they look like this.

You need to spread the sun-dried tomatoes very tightly, adding filling periodically. There should be no air bubbles.

When the jar is full, pour at least 1 cm of filling on top. Not a single piece of tomato should be left uncovered.

Teaser network

All that remains is to screw on the sterile, dry lid. You can store sun-dried tomatoes in the refrigerator. You can try it in 5 days.

The yield of the finished product is quite small - only 2 jars of 400 ml each. These tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for six months. They can be used in different ways. You can add sun-dried tomatoes to salads and soups, baked goods and sandwiches. And how good are these tomatoes on pizza! And sun-dried tomatoes themselves are incredibly tasty and aromatic.

Sun-dried tomato toast. Fry a piece of loaf in a toast maker or in a frying pan, add a few pieces of sun-dried tomatoes, a basil leaf and a few small circles of mozzarella. Lunch!!!

Dried tomatoes It is a completely traditional product used in Italian cuisine, and is considered a completely worthy replacement for fresh tomatoes. I can’t say that all Italians eat them every day, they are rather a delicacy since their price is much higher than fresh ones. And they don’t buy them in kilograms, since dried tomatoes are usually packaged in small bags and jars of 100 g.

Traditionally Tomatoes in Italy are naturally dried in the sun, during the hottest months of the year (July and August), using only a high-quality product.

Tomatoes must be fresh and ripe, without foreign odors or tastes.

Almost every southern region of Italy boasts its own original drying methods. Therefore, in Italy there are several varieties of dried tomatoes, and their main differences may be shape, cutting and drying methods, varieties, color and appearance.

The most common variety of tomatoes for drying is San Marzano.

How to dry tomatoes

In Italy there are dry naturally in the sun, this method is quite understandable since it is very hot here. But those who don’t have time can skip waiting for hot days and prepare dried tomatoes at home, using an oven or a special electric dryer for vegetables and fruits.

How to make dried tomatoes at home

Wash ripe and beautiful tomatoes, let them dry and cut them in half or into quarters.
Place on a wire rack or baking sheet, cut side up, and season with salt.
Place in the oven preheated to 65°C for 6 - 10 hours, it all depends on the size (you must control the process so that they do not burn).

Tomatoes are dried outdoors for a week.

By following these simple rules, you have an excellent opportunity to prepare a popular ingredient for traditional Italian dishes at home.

How to store

They are stored in paper or cotton bags, in dry and well-ventilated areas, but this method is not ideal as sooner or later mold may appear.

For longer and more effective storage, olive oil is usually used.

Dried tomatoes in oil

In order to cook dried tomatoes in oil, we need a clean, disinfected jar (1 liter) in which we need to place:

1 cup olive oil
garlic clove, halved or minced
1 - 2 tablespoons grape vinegar
chili pepper, capers, olives, oregano, other spices. Spices can be added based on everyone's personal preferences.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and put the tomatoes (which we previously dried) in a jar, add olive oil so that all the tomatoes are completely covered with it, close the jar with a lid. Let all the ingredients brew.

Sun-dried tomatoes contain 240 calories per 100 g of product

If dried tomatoes in olive oil need to be stored for a longer period, the jar should be rolled up or covered with a tin lid and boiled in a pan of water for 30 minutes.

Also, sun-dried tomatoes can be stored in the freezer for 1.5 years, and it is best to use airtight containers for storage.