If you've never tried drying your own tomatoes, you're missing out. The drying process condenses all the tomato sweetness into a savory and chewy piece of heaven. Those store-bought leathery things are good, but your own will be a million times better. All that olive oil makes canning for long-term storage unsafe, but they're so good they never seem to sit around long enough anyway. I like to eat them piled on toast with a fresh basil leaf and slivers of good Parmesan cheese. You'll find your own way to enjoy them soon enough.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 1 pint jar

　　10 plum tomatoes, halved

　　Sea salt

　　Dried thyme, oregano, or marjoram

　　Garlic cloves, optional

　　Approximately 2 cups olive oil

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to the lowest heat setting (150–200°F). The goal here is to dry the tomatoes slowly but surely.

　　

Step 2

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the tomatoes on top, cut side up. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

　　

Step 3

Bake the tomatoes until the edges have shriveled and the insides are still slightly moist but not juicy. Timing depends on the type and size of tomato; the drying will take anywhere between 2 and 8 hours.

　　

Step 4

Set the pan aside until completely cool and then transfer the tomatoes to a clean and sterilized jar. Add a few sprigs of dry herbs and a clove of garlic, if using, to the jar. Pour in olive oil, thoroughly covering the tomatoes to preserve them.

　　

Step 5

Store in the fridge for 4–6 weeks. Use up the remaining olive oil in dishes that can benefit from the savory tomato flavor.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 20.0 calories

　　10.0 calories from fat

　　1.0g total fat

　　0.0g saturated fat

　　0.0mg cholesterol

　　390.0mg sodium

　　2.0g total carbs

　　0.5g dietary fiber

　　1.0g sugars

　　0.0g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　Grow Great Grub by Gayla Trail. Copyright © 2010 by Gayla Trail. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved..Gayla Trail is the creator of the acclaimed top gardening website yougrowgirl.com. Her work as a writer and photographer has appeared in publications including The New York Times, Newsweek, Budget Living, and ReadyMade. A resident of Toronto who has grown a garden on her rooftop for more than 10 years, she is the author of You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening.