All lovers of Mediterranean cuisine, of course, are familiar with this unusual product for Eastern European and Asian cuisine.
The taste of dried tomatoes can not be compared with anything. In their preparation there is nothing difficult.
Sun-dried tomatoes for the winter - general principles of harvesting
Selection of required products and materials
Tomatoes
Tomato varieties for harvesting is better to take strong, fleshy, with a small amount of seeds and liquid content. To make the dish beautiful and convenient to use in the future, use varieties like “cherry” or “cream”. Of course, you can take any tomatoes, including those grown on your own private plot, but at the same time choose from them small and medium sizes, from about 3 to 6 centimeters in diameter or length. Overripe fruits for withering are not suitable, as they have much more liquid and they will dry longer, and the final product will not be so tasty. However, unripe berries are also not recommended to use - they are more acidic and do not have the full depth of flavor.
Yellow and even exotic black tomatoes are suitable for drying (curing), although red varieties are still common in traditional Mediterranean cuisine.
Usually, tomatoes are prepared for curing as follows:
• select the ripest and at the same time robust specimens, wash well;
• small and medium-sized fruits are cut into four or eight parts (depending on size), large (for example, a bull's heart) - cut into ringlets about 1 cm thick;
• From the slices of the tomato gently remove the seeds and the core. For small berries (for example, varieties of cherry, with a diameter of up to 3 cm), this procedure can not be performed.
Some recipes for the preparation of dried tomatoes for the winter involve blanching the fruit to peel and speed up the drying process.
Spices, seasonings and oil
The list of spices and herbs suitable for the preparation of dried tomatoes for the winter is quite extensive. In addition to traditional Mediterranean oregano, basil, rosemary, today they successfully use mixtures of peppers of different varieties (chili, black, white, allspice), cardamom, cumin, coriander, and others. Garlic and rosemary are often put into the oil for preserving the finished product, experimenting with onion rings. In any case, the taste and aroma of withered tomatoes spoil the addition of spices is almost impossible, but each new ingredient brings its own flavor. All spices, added directly to tomato slices, it is better to grind. If herbs are used, they must be dry enough to easily crumble and mix with salt, sugar and other spices. It is convenient to use small hand mills, in which you can put the mixture of all seasonings at once, and turning the two parts of the mill relative to each other, sprinkle vegetables, if necessary, on a baking sheet or drying pan.
Salt for the preparation procedure will suit any, but the best taste and aroma comes from sea salt. You can use the flavored, so-called "spicy" salts, in a variety presented today in supermarkets. In this case, of course, you need to consider which spices this salt contains and reduce their amount in the total mixture.
Sugar is used in small quantities. The most convenient for the described purposes is ordinary granulated sugar, which quickly dissolves in the juice of the fruit and binds, along with the salt, a part of the excess liquid. There is absolutely no need to use brown, cane or other varieties of sugar - the result will be completely indistinguishable.
The oil used in the recipes of dried tomatoes for the winter, as a rule, is olive, but sunflower is also quite suitable, the choice depends on personal tastes and tastes. Many housewives try different compositions, mixing olive, sunflower and grape (seed) oil. The only rule that is strictly adhered to is that the oil should be with a minimum of smell and fresh, with a full shelf life.
In some recipes, garlic is found - dried, whole teeth or chopped. Adding this seasoning is not mandatory, but many find a special piquancy in dishes flavored with garlic, as with dried tomatoes, and with butter infused with garlic.
Other necessary fixtures and materials
There are several main ways to remove moisture from tomatoes (as well as from other fruits and vegetables). This is drying in the sun, in the oven and in electric dryers. To facilitate the cooking process, the bottom of the baking sheets or oven trays can be covered with parchment, food paper (or ordinary tracing paper), smeared with a thin layer of oil, so that the slices of tomatoes do not stick. If special gratings are used for drying, it is advisable to cover the bottom of the pan (baking tray) with food grade aluminum foil - it will speed up the drying process and reflect the thermal energy from below on the preparing tomatoes.
Sun-dried tomatoes for the winter - recipe 1 (the easiest, solar drying)
Ingredients:
• tomatoes, the amount depends on the area of drying pallets;
• finely ground salt, for example “Extra”;
• olive oil or sunflower oil refined;
• dried basil;
• garlic;
• black or white pepper.
Preparation:
1. Wash the tomatoes well, cut them into slices, about 3-4 cm wide. Remove the seeds from all the slices with a teaspoon, cut firm stalks with a knife.
2. Place the tomato slices tightly on the prepared trays, which are slightly salted (just like regular salads). Expose pallets to direct sunlight. For successful wilting, it is necessary to ensure sufficient air movement (ventilation) and protection from insects - to stretch gauze or a protective net over vegetables. As a surface for drying, any pallets, trays, sheets of plywood or metal (for example, galvanized sheet) are suitable. Any surface should be covered with food paper.
The whole process may take several days (four to five, depending on solar activity and wind), so this method is ideal for hot and dry areas.
3. The pallets should be inspected daily and brought into the dry room overnight in order to avoid dew falling out in the morning.
4. When slices of tomatoes become elastic and dense, but not brittle, carefully place them in clean glass jars, layers, pouring with oil, into which you should add ground pepper (half a teaspoon, 5) -6 crumbled dry leaves of basil (or a teaspoon of powder), 3-4 crushed garlic cloves of medium size. Pack periodically compacted to fit in the bank as much as possible dried delicacy.
5. You can store the product in the refrigerator for up to six months, and use it after a week, when the tomatoes are soaked with oil and spices.
Sun-dried tomatoes for the winter - recipe 2 (in the oven)
Ingredients (per standard pallet): • Tomatoes - about one and a half kilograms, cherry or cream varieties are preferable;
• sea salt is large;
• granulated sugar;
• ground pepper (black);
• garlic - 3 slices of medium size;
• dried rosemary and oregano;
• olive oil.
Preparation:
1. Wash the fruits of tomatoes, blot them with a towel, cut them into halves (or quarters), remove the pulp and partitions.
2. Place parchment paper on the oven pan, lightly oil it. In dense rows spread out prepared slices, peel on paper. Salt and pepper slices, add about 1/5 teaspoon of sugar to each.
3. Turn on the oven and heat it to 80 ºC, then place the baking trays in the heated space and leave them for 7-8 hours with the sash ajarted for 1-2 cm (for free release of moist air).
4. After drying and cooling, the finished dish can be put in jars and filled with oil with spices, similar to the method described in the first recipe.
Sun-dried tomatoes for the winter - recipe 3 (blanched, without skin)
Ingredients:
• tomatoes;
• salt;
• sugar;
• vinegar;
• water;
• olive or sunflower oil;
• dry herbs, pepper, garlic - choice and quantity - to taste.
Preparation:
1. For small and medium sized clean tomatoes, cut the skin crosswise, dip it in boiling water with vinegar (250 grams of vinegar or a tablespoon of vinegar essence per liter of water), hold them for no more than 3 minutes. Then immediately place the tomatoes in a pan with cold water (you can add ice cubes to the water). If done correctly, the peel of the tomatoes will be easy to exfoliate.
2. Fruits without skin prepare for drying in the usual way - cut into pieces and remove the pulp.
3. Dry in an oven at 40-50 ºC, on trays with oiled food paper to a state resembling chewing marmalade or apple slices from a mixture of dried fruits.
4. In a clean, sterilized boiling water glass jars on the bottom, place a few rosemary needles, crush a clove of garlic and add a little oil. Then in thick layers, seasoning each crushed spices, lay the dried pieces of tomatoes. Fill the whole jar with oil so that it completely soaks the vegetables. In the future, banks can be hermetically sealed with metal lids and stored in a dark, cool place for 6-8 months. Open containers should be placed in the refrigerator.
Sun-dried tomatoes for the winter - recipe 4 (in an electric dryer)
Ingredients:
• 1.5 kg of tomatoes;
• sea salt or finely ground;
•sugar;
• olive oil - 250 ml;
• 3 large cloves of garlic;
• dry rosemary;
• 3 bay leaves;
• other spices to taste.
Preparation:
1. Wash clean tomatoes and cut into slices, peel off the pulp and seeds. Spread the electric dryers tightly to each other, sandpaper down.
2. Salt each spice, sprinkle with spices, add some sugar in them and drip 2-3 drops of oil.
3. Install the grids in the dryer and turn it on at 40 ° C. After 6-7 hours, inspect the slices and turn them over. The total time of drying depends on the number and size of sliced slices and is at least 9 - 12 hours.
4. Gradually remove the ready-made, elastic and unbreakable pieces from the grids and place in jars of oil, in which chopped garlic, rosemary and bay leaves are added. Storage is made standard for dried tomatoes in a cold and dark place.
Sun-dried tomatoes for the winter - recipe 5 (for long storage)
Ingredients (based on one half-liter jar of the finished product):
• tomatoes - 2 kg;
• sea salt;
• oil (sunflower oil refined or olive) - 250 g;
• rosemary, basil - 0.5 to 1 teaspoon;
• black pepper (not ground) - 4 - 5 grains;
• allspice - 1/3 tsp;
• bay leaf - 1-2 leaves;
• garlic - 1 medium sized clove (or a similar amount of dry powder);
• carnation - 1-2 stars.
Preparation:
1. Prepare the tomatoes in the usual way, removing the core.
2. Place aluminum foil or food-grade parchment on the oven tray. Top dense rows, cut up part - prepared pieces of tomatoes. If foil is used, it is advisable to spread the tomato slices on a special grid or silicone coasters, otherwise the vegetables will stick to the foil. Parchment can be lightly greased. 3. Salt all the tomatoes, you can add some sugar to each. Place the pan in the oven.
4. Turn on the oven to convection mode and a temperature of 110-120ºC. Open the door to 0.5-1 cm. After 2-2.5 hours, check the condition of the tomatoes. They should be slightly reduced in size.
5. Lower the oven temperature to 90 ºC and continue drying for another 3 hours.
6. Remove the baking sheet and remove from it those slices that have acquired the condition of dried dried apricots. The remaining, not fully prepared pieces, place in the oven for a while.
7. Put spices in a clean and scalded (or pre-calcined) glass jar and gradually fill the entire volume with tomatoes as they dry.
8. Fill the jar with hot (almost boiling) oil, shake the jar or lightly tap it on the table to achieve the release of air bubbles. Oil should be poured under the edge, then hermetically close the jar with a lid (or spin as pickled foods). Turn the lid down and leave to cool slowly, wrapped in a towel or blanket.
9. Storage of such canned dried tomatoes for the winter can be done at temperatures up to 20-22 ºC, but an open can is only in the refrigerator.
Sun-dried tomatoes for the winter - recipe 6 (in the slow cooker)
Ingredients:
• tomatoes - 0.5 kg;
• salt - 5 g;
• black pepper - 5 g;
• sugar - 10g;
• olive oil;
• a mixture of dry spices to taste (oregano, basil, a little paprika);
• garlic - 3 cloves.
Preparation:
1. Wash the tomatoes, blot with a cloth, cut into halves. In small "Cherry" core can not be removed.
2. To lay food tracing paper (parchment) in the working bowl of the multicooker and place the tomatoes in one layer. If desired, you can use the grid for steam cooking and put on it another layer of tomatoes.
3. Mix all the spices and season with a mixture of halves of tomatoes. Lightly spray each layer with oil.
4. Set up the “Baking” program on the multicooker and cook the tomatoes for at least 3-4 hours. During this time, the device will go into heating mode. To ensure good moisture removal, it is advisable to remove the valve from the multicooker lid. 5. For long-term storage, place the dried pieces tightly in jars and cover with oil. In the jar, you can optionally add chopped garlic, herbs.
Sun-dried tomatoes for the winter - recipe 7 (accelerated using a microwave)
Ingredients:
• tomatoes;
• olive oil;
• salt;
• sugar;
• mix of spices.
Preparation:
1. Washed tomatoes, cut into slices (preferably without seeds), spread on a dish, fertilize with a dry mixture of spices (except salt) and sprinkle with oil.
2. Close the dish in the microwave and turn on the oven to maximum power for 6 minutes.
3. Lower the temperature (power) by about a third and cook another 10 minutes.
4. Remove the dish and drain the juice. Salt the slices.
5. Dry the tomatoes for another 2-3 minutes at the same capacity.
6. Store the finished dish in jars filled with oil and spices.
Sun-dried tomatoes for the winter - recipe 8 (spicy seasoning for pasta)
Ingredients:
• tomatoes - 1500 g;
• hot peppers (dry chilli pods) - 3-4 pieces;
• salt;
• sugar;
• Basil (fresh or dry);
• garlic - 3 teeth;
• oil (olive or sunflower) - 150-200 g.
Preparation:
1. Tomatoes wilt in any convenient way - in the sun, in the oven or using a dryer. Salt and sprinkle with sugar before drying.
2. Place the withered tomato slices, chilli peppers, basil leaves and garlic in a blender with a chopping nozzle. Grind the mixture to a state of uniform mass.
3. Add olive oil to the resulting mass and mix thoroughly.
4. Store seasoning in glass jars, in the refrigerator, for up to 3-4 months.
Sun-dried tomatoes for the winter - tips and useful tips
- To make the harvested product more fragrant and have a spicy flavor, add a few drops of balsamic vinegar to the jar on top of the oil.
- You can also store dried tomatoes without oil - just put the slices in plastic containers or bags and place the packaging in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. The shelf life during such freezing is practically unlimited. However, if during drying the technology was broken and the lobules did not dry enough, then after defrosting they will lose their shape and elasticity.
