Overview:
By: Antonia
Meal Type: Accompaniment
Cook time: Up to 8 hours
Servings: n/a
Description:
Use your simmering or warming oven to dry tomatoes – it works brilliantly and no-one will guess they are not ‘sun-dried’! Use in pasta sauces, antipasti platters, to stuff chicken breasts… The possibilities are endless.
You'll need...
Ingredients:
Method:
-
Wash tomatoes and pat dry. Halve small or cherry tomatoes and quarter larger varieties. Scoop out the seeds and pulp from the middle of larger tomatoes (not necessary with small cherry tomatoes).
-
Lay the tomatoes cut side up on a lined baking tray (or trays). Sprinkle with salt and herbs. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Slide into the simmering oven and cook for approximately 6 hours (see tips).
-
The tomatoes are ready when they are shrivelled and dried out but still have a little flexibility.
-
Either use immediately, store in the fridge covered in oil or freeze in an airtight container.
Aga range cooker tips:
- Cooking time will depend on the size and variety of your tomatoes. If using cherry tomatoes, check after four hours. If you have larger tomatoes, they may take up to 8 hours. You may also prefer a ‘semi-dried’ tomato – a softer texture with a little moisture. These are delicious in salads but don’t keep for as long.
- If you have a warming oven, use this and dry the tomatoes out overnight.
- To sterilize jars for storage; wash in hot soapy water, rinse and dry in the simmering oven for 15-20 minutes.
- These tomatoes will keep in the fridge for a week if covered in oil. I like to put them in a jam jar with slices of garlic and sprigs of thyme and rosemary and cover with extra virgin olive oil. Once I’ve used the tomatoes, the infused oil makes a wonderful dressing.
- The dried tomatoes freeze well - simply pack into an airtight container or zip-lock bag (no oil). You can then take out as many as you need for a recipe as and when you need them.
- If you do want to store in oil for longer – ensure the tomatoes are completely dried out, use sterile jars and leave out the garlic and herbs.
This fun family recipe has been scribed and tested by community member Antonia, who is a hard working mum with two boys. Her recipes are trialed in her much loved Aga range cooker and devoured by her family, allowing Antonia to provide accurate tips and advice on how to make the dishes a success! Go check her work out! She is a country girl, happily surrounded by an excitable Lab, her dear husband, two boys and the Cotswolds.
< back to our 'Recipes with instructions for Aga range cookers' homepage.