My garden has been producing a plethora of tomatoes and zucchinis. I really had no idea what to do with them so I bought a dehydrator to try my hand at drying our bounty. My cherry tomato plants are full and bursting so I wanted to make dried tomatoes Italian style.
Canned Italian Tomatoes
We love sundried tomatoes in olive oil with Italian herbs and spices so I thought I could do this with the cherry tomatoes that I have and it worked! They are delicious and tasty and will last. Perfect.
How do you make dried tomatoes, you ask?
It is really easy.
- Simply wash and cut your cherry tomatoes in half. I tossed mine with salt and pepper.
- Arrange in the dehydrator so they are not touching. I set mine to 135 degrees and let it run for 12 hours.
- When dried, put in a mason jar with garlic, crushed red peppers, oregano and parsley. Top with oil and close the lid tightly.
Oven Dried Tomatoes
It really is that easy. I am sure you could make these in the oven as well. Set your oven to 200 degrees. Arrange the tomatoes on a baking sheet. Let bake for 8+ hours. Either way this is a great way to preserve your summer garden. I know we will be enjoying these for months to come. My husband jokes that I am now drying everything in the house- which is true! It is very addicting! Stay tuned for my zucchini chips recipe coming soon too.
Have a look at these other canning recipes:
Canning 101
