Semi-dried tomatoes

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 10 m.-large tomato(s), organic
• 2 dl olive oil, extra virgin, cold-pressed
• 5 large garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp ground sea salt
• 20 leaves of fresh basil, thyme and oregano to taste

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 7 hours; Total time approx. 19 hours 30 minutes

Pomodori semi-secchi alla nonna

Halve the tomatoes, remove the stem ends, and cut each half into 1 cm wide slices. Line a baking tray with baking paper, arrange the tomatoes on the tray, sprinkle with a little sea salt, and place in the oven. Dry for 1 hour at 60 degrees Celsius in a closed oven, then for 4 to 6 hours at 60 degrees Celsius with the oven slightly open, until they are half dry. Gradually remove any tomatoes that are already dry enough. The goal is to extract the water from the tomatoes to enhance the flavor. They should still have a bit of a fruity flavor inside. If you’re in a hurry, you can also do this at a higher temperature; however, the flavor of the tomatoes will then change and be more reminiscent of cooked tomatoes. Gradually add the already half-dry tomatoes to a baking dish, season with freshly squeezed or very thinly sliced ​​garlic and finely chopped basil leaves, and drizzle with olive oil. Do not add any more salt. Finally, seal the baking dish airtight with plastic wrap and leave in the cellar or refrigerator overnight. Store at room temperature for 3 hours before serving and season with salt if desired. The semi-dried tomatoes are also perfect for topping toasted white bread as bruschetta.