Growing Tomatoes
2010 – I tried heirloom varieties so had a mix of size, colour and shape but not a huge crop. Lesson for 2010: Grow at least three times as many next time – they taste so good that they get eaten faster than they grow.
I love dried tomatoes. I have a dehydrator and when tomatoes are cheap I buy up big and dry them. I would love to grow enough to need to dry my own.
Drying Tomatoes
Wash and dry tomatoes. Slice in half and line up in the trays. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and salt. I use whatever is around at the time but it is usually a mix of basil and oregano.
I usually use Roma tomatoes as they are the right size and have a nice flavour. The supermarket ones often don’t have very much flavour so drying them does help as it concentrates what taste there is there.
Leave in the dryer until they are soft and bendy but not over dry. I usually turn the dehydrator off over night, sort of simulates sun drying – seems to work but I do check the taste regularly. When done I pack into zip lock bags, remove as much air as possible and freeze.
Sun dried tomato pesto
Make exactly the same as Basil Pesto but substitute semi dried tomatoes for the basil.
Ingredients
- Sundried tomatoes
- Garlic cloves crushed with salt
- Approximately equal quantities of :
- Toasted pine-nuts or macadamia nuts (cooled)
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
Method
- Combine tomatoes and garlic in a food processor, drizzling in oil until smooth.
- Add the nuts and cheese and more oil if necessary.
- Adjust the ingredients to taste.