Sun-dried tomatoes in a food dehydrator

With a food dehydrator, making sun-dried tomatoes at home is easy. Slowly dried at a low temperature, the tomatoes develop a concentrated sweetness and rich flavour. Store them in olive oil with herbs for a delicious pantry staple that elevates salads, pasta dishes, or antipasti platters.

Ingredients

• 2 kg tomatoes
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• Oregano, to taste
• 1 sprig rosemary
• Fresh basil leaves
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• Extra virgin olive oil

Equipment

Food / Fruit dehydrators

Preparation method

1. Cut the tomatoes into slices about 0.5 cm thick.
2. Place the slices on the dehydrator racks.
3. Sprinkle with coarse salt, pepper, and oregano.
4. Set the food dehydrator to 70°C and dry for 8 hours.
5. Once done, you can use the sun-dried tomatoes immediately or preserve them in olive oil for later use.
6. Preserving sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
7. Place the rosemary needles in the bottom of a sterilised jam jar or preserving jar.
8. Add fresh basil leaves, peppercorns, and oregano.
9. Layer in the dried tomatoes.
10. Pour extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes until the jar is completely filled.
11. Seal with a lid and store in a cool, dark place.

Tip
Don’t discard the olive oil once the tomatoes are finished, it will be infused with rich tomato and herb flavours, perfect for salads or cooking.