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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@gilanet.com>
  • To: oldwaysliving@yahoo.com, livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Cc:
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] make a sundryer/sun-dried tomatoes recipe
  • Date: Fri, 27 May 2005 16:30:12 -0600

I'll try to explain further Ginger. I'm Italian, so this is the old ways
style passed on down to me......

You get the fine METAL screening that comes in a roll. Usually it's about 4
feet wide. Don't get the plastic kind-that won't work. You need it firm so
the toms don't slip. Try to avoid aluminum. You can also use hardware
cloth.

Depending on quantity to dry you make it as large or small as you like. You
kinda make an envelope out of it. You roll out the amount-fold it in half
and push down hard to crease tightly, folding in both edges to have a nice
tight fit. I've even seen people use scrap lumber on sides and screw/bolt
it tight. Imagine folding a piece of paper in half or making a paper
airplane.Then just fold over the top with a wire in it and hang on the
clothesline

If you make it loose you can just lay it flat, and you just have to turn
your sundryer over and keep it elevated on blocks or bricks. Please ask
further if it's still not clear. Happy to help.

Sun-dried tomatoes recipe/hints

You need about 15 to 20 pounds of tomatoes to make 1 pound of sundried. 2
plants will give you a nice snack, but not much else. That's why they're so
expensive in the store!

Wash tomatoes carefully and dry. Use firm, ripe paste (preferably Roma)
tomatoes. You can use others but Romas are best because of meatiness. You
can also use slicing tomatoes or cherry tomatoes if that's what you have,
but it won't come out as good.

If the tomato has a scar (discolored area of tough skin), remove it and the
hardened core lying under it.

Cut the tomatoes in half, lengthwise. Cut in half from stem end to blossom
end (for Roma or cherry) or in 1/2" slices (for slicing toms). Cut out the
stem. If the tomato is more than about 2 inches long, cut it in quarters.

Scrape out all of the seeds that you can without removing the pulp. Save
the seeds for next year!!! (Just throw on a paper towel and put in
windowsill to dry. Do not wash).

Mix together 1/2 cup sea salt,1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup dried basil. I
throw it all in a blender and finely pulverize. I make large quantities so
you can divide the recipe. Place in a deep narrow bowl-like a custard cup.

Dip cut side down in the mixture. You don't need a lot ,so don't push down
hard!

Place in dryer.

They don't all dry at the same time-so keep an eye on them. They're done
when leathery and about the texture of a dried apricot.

If dried too long, they become tough and leathery. If not dried long
enough, they will mold and mildew, unless
packed in oil. So watch them carefully while they dry. Try to remove them
on an individual basis, before they become tough. DO NOT DRY TO A CRISP!


Here are the drying methods. There is a time listed with each method. This
time is approximate, and can vary significantly depending on the moisture
of the tomato. Do not rely on this time as more than a very rough guide.

Oven-drying (approximately 12 hours):

Bake, cut side up, in 170 F oven for about 3 hours. Leave the oven door
propped open about 3 inches to allow moisture to escape. After 3 hours,
turn the tomatoes over and press flat with your hand or a spatula.
Continue to dry, turning the tomatoes every few hours, and gently pressing
flatter and flatter, until tomatoes are dry.

Dehydrator method (approximately 8 hours):

Place the tomatoes, cut side up, directly onto the dehydrator trays. Set
dehydrator temperature to about 140 F. After 4 or 5 hours, turn the
tomatoes over and press flat with your hand or a spatula. After a few
hours, turn the tomatoes again and flatten gently. Continue drying until
done.

Sun-drying (approximately 3 days):

Dry in hot weather, with relatively low humidity.

Use sundryer or place tomatoes, cut side down, in shallow wood-framed trays
with nylon
netting for the bottom of the trays. Cover trays with protective netting
(or cheesecloth). Place in direct sun, raised from the ground on blocks or
anything else that allows air to circulate under the trays. Turn the
tomatoes over after about 1 1/2 days, to expose the cut side to the sun.
Place the trays in a sheltered spot after sundown, or if the weather turns
bad.

After the tomatoes are dry, store in air-tight containers, or pack in oil.

To pack in oil:
Dip each tomato into a small dish of white wine vinegar or balsamic
vinegar(preferred). Shake off the
excess vinegar and pack them in olive oil. Make sure they are completely
immersed in the oil.

When the jar is full, cap it tightly and store at *cool* room temperature
for at least a month before using. They may be stored in the refrigerator,
but the oil will solidify at refrigerator temperatures (it quickly
reliquifies at room temperature however).

****** WARNING ********

Do *NOT* add fresh garlic cloves to oil-packed dried tomatoes, UNLESS you
store them in the refrigerator. Garlic is a low-acid food which, when
placed in oil, creates a low-acid anaerobic environment - the perfect
growth medium for botulinum bacteria if the mixture is not refrigerated.
Botulism poisoning is characterized by a very high mortality rate. Be safe
and add your garlic to the dried tomatoes as part of the recipe for them
*after* they come out of the oil.

As tomatoes are removed from the jar, add more olive oil as necessary to
keep the remaining tomatoes covered. You can even use the oil on toast or
for cooking.mmmmm...

You can store oil-packed tomatoes in the pantry for over a year The
vinegar
treatment is the difference between a good dried tomato and a great one.
It is also important from a food safety standpoint, as it acidifies the
oil and discourages growth of bacteria and mold.

Refreshing the tomatoes:

The dried tomatoes should be refreshed by soaking them in hot water
before you use them in most recipes. Bring 1-2 cups of hot water to a
boil and add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of tomatoes. Let the tomatoes soak for
several minutes; as few as 2 minutes if they are thin and as much as 8
minutes if they are fairly thick. After soaking you may wish to slice
or chop the tomatoes. If your dinner recipe calls for water, use the
water from soaking the tomatoes instead. Otherwise save the water and
add it to your vegetable water for stock.


Hope I've made it clear enough. If you (or anyone else) have any further
questions please ask. Enjoy!

Barb NM
Please feel free to post and share wherever. Good food and good recipes are
meant to be enjoyed and shared!If for a commercial venture, please share
some with charity or be cursed!


*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 5/26/2005 at 9:14 AM Ginger Schiffer wrote:

><<<>
>It's so easy to make a sundryer. Get the roll of metal screening-fold
>over<BR>
>into whatever size you need ,fold over the sides, and hang on your
>solar<BR>
>slothes dryer.>>>
>
>I've never dried any type of fruit or vege but being a huge fan of
>sun-dried tomatoes I plan on trying this year. I bought 2 roma tomatoes as
>I hear they are best for drying. Your sundryer, however, doesn't make
>sense to me. Are you hanging the screen from the clothes line? Won't
>things jumble in the bottom and not dry evenly? I would appreciate the
>directions in dummy mode if you don't mind.
>
>
>Ginger, WA State
>lhasalady@earthlink.net
>http://blackberryacresmeatgoats.com






  • [Livingontheland] make a sundryer/sun-dried tomatoes recipe, Tradingpost, 05/27/2005

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