Oven-dried tomatoes

I imagine everyone in the world almost knows how to do this by now. But having just done my first lot of the season I thought I would share how truly easy and transforming this is. Just in case you don't know how.

I'm not sure where I first found out how to do this. From a cookbook, a magazine article, the web. I'm not sure. And when my boys discovered them they just had to have the recipe. It's one of their very favourite things. I'm sure that the better quality the tomato the better the result, but I also have to say it transforms even pretty ordinary tomatoes.

Most recipes talk about using cherry tomatoes. I just use small ones, that I usually cut into quarters. It depends on the size of the tomato how many pieces you cut them into - suffice to say that probably about half the size of a large cherry tomato is what you are aiming for.

Most recipes also put them on racks, but I reckon this is messy. So I line a tray with aluminium foil and place my tomatoes on this. You pack them in fairly tight. Then sprinkle them with a tiny bit of salt, a tiny bit of sugar, sprinkle with herbs - basil for preference obviously, but I have used oregano today as I have no basil. Drizzle with a tiny bit of oil and place in the oven at a very low temperature. Put them in just before you go to bed and in the morning they will be done. Well I am still working out my now not so new oven and I actually had to leave them in there for rather longer. I started at 80ºC but ended up increasing it to 100º. Better to start low though. You don't want to end up with them burnt to a crisp. How dry you make them is probably a matter of taste.

When they have cooled put them in wide-necked jars with some sliced garlic, some more herbs and cover with olive oil. They will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks if they don't all get eaten first. If my sons spot them they don't last long.

It's a very concentrated tomato taste and is just another world away from the ones you buy in the supermarket. One of the greatest discoveries of my cooking career. Great on pizza, in quiche, pasta dishes, salads ...

You could probably put chilli in with them too if you are that way inclined.