Semi-dried tomatoes and homemade tomato paste
For best results I recommend sourcing Roma tomatoes for drying as they are naturally low in moisture.
Halved cherry tomatoes can also be dried this way with great success. Preparation time: 10-15 minutes Cooking time: 8-12 hours
About 1kg Roma or cherry tomatoes Pinch of salt 1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for storing
Sprig of oregano or thyme
Preheat oven to 70 degrees Celsius on fan bake.
Halve the tomatoes and arrange cut side up in a single layer on a baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Place the tray in the middle of the oven. I like to wedge a spoon in the door to keep it ajar by one to two centimetres for air circulation.
I think of this method as a makeshift dehydrator (which, obviously you could use if you have one, set to 55°C), although running a little hotter for added caramelisation.
Leave the tomatoes to dry for 8-12 hours – I do this overnight. The total time will depend on the tomato size and variety, the aim is a somewhat dry tomato with a little bit of give when squeezed – though not soft or they won’t keep well.
To store, snugly pack the tomatoes into a 300g jar with a sprig of herbs and top up with olive oil.
Store in the fridge and consume within one month.
To make Homemade Tomato Paste, instead of packing in a jar with olive oil, blend the semi-dried