We are told that dehydrating in the old days was a very common method of preservation, especially in the hotter zones of Italy. I can remember on many visits to Italy seeing what seemed like a sea of tomatoes laying out in the sun on top of crates, peppers hanging on balconies as well as grapes, beans, herbs, and figs all being preserved by drying.
Today we have the luxury of ovens and electric dehydrators that are fail safe and easy to use. Did we mention safe and easy? When it comes to drying fruits and vegetables you always want to start with fresh, ripe, and clean produce. With tomatoes however, there are so many varieties available so choosing the right one is the first step. You can see below the difference between just a few types of tomatoes.
You can dehydrate almost anything but for us the ideal tomato for drying is the San Marzano. You can see how the interior has very little pulp and seeds compared to other tomatoes, as well as being the perfect size for drying. Beefsteak tomatoes, on the other hand, have lots of water, seeds, and pulp and may not dry effectively.
The other factor of course is taste and some tomatoes are just better than others – period! This is not to say you can’t try, so if you have success with other types of tomatoes please let us know. We are going by what our Nonnas and their mothers before them have done and trust us, you will love them and be surprised at how easy it is to do at home, with or without a dehydrator. We have used both methods, oven and dehydrator, with great success.
Nonna Olga actually lays tomatoes out in the sun on a hot sunny day to give them a start and then finishes drying them in the oven. Although dehydrated, we do suggest freezing them in food safe freezer bags as it doesn’t take much to ruin the fruits of your labour. This also allows you to leave a slight touch of moisture in them without worrying about rotting.
Once you have some ripe San Marzano tomatoes washed and ready to go, cut off the stem top, cut each tomato in half length wise and remove any green or hard core near the top of the tomato. Lastly, score the cut side of the tomatoes on a diagonal to help prevent curling and to assist in the escape of moisture. If using the oven (convection oven works best), place them cut side up first on the racks with the oven at 130 degrees F. It does take a while, 16-24 hours, so be patient! Turn them over and flatten them out if they have curled. For non-convection ovens you may need to leave the door open slightly. Remove the tomatoes once they are dry. They shouldn’t be so dry that they are crumbly or crack if pinched. You want the seeds and center dried but a bit of texture left in them, kind of like dried figs, a bit of a chewy consistency.
If using a dehydrator, follow the manufacturer’s recommendation and just wait! Check on them periodically as you would with the oven method and flip over about half way through the process. Again, look for curled edges and flatten them out with your fingers for even drying and nice flat dried tomatoes.
Now that they are dry, just place them in food safe freezer bags and remove the desired quantity as needed. Dressed sun-dried tomatoes are delicious and can be used in so many ways! You can add them to meat dishes, pasta recipes, salads, and grain bowls. Or you can dress them up like Nonna did for us and add them to an antipasto platter. A few on top of a fresh piece of bread with a slice of your favorite cheese is the perfect snack. Flavor packed goodness!
If you don’t have the time or the patience to dry your own, you can find them already dried in packages at the grocery store and use them in the same way. Nonna Olga dresses a bunch at a time and keeps them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several days.
Dressed Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
• 6 cups sun-dried or dehydrated tomatoes
• Salt
• 1 garlic clove grated
• pinch black pepper
• pinch chili flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian parsley
• Olive oil
Instructions
1. Place tomatoes in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt to season. Mix well.
2. Add the garlic, black pepper, chili flakes, oregano, parsley and approximately 1/8 cup olive oil. Mix well so the tomatoes are evenly coated.
3. Using a wide mouth jar or air-tight container, begin layering the seasoned tomatoes. About every 3 layers add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and gently press down on the layers. Continue layering tomato slices, adding oil and pressing gently until the container is almost full. You want the tomatoes to be even with the oil level when they are all in the container.
Notes: Store the dressed tomatoes in oil in the fridge in an airtight container or jar. They will keep well for a couple of days.
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