Oven Sun Dried Tomatoes

1. Heat oven to 250°F. Optional: line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Slice each tomato in half lengthwise. Place cut-side-up on the baking sheet.
3. Bake for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours, or until the tomatoes are dried out, checking for doneness a few times towards the end.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. Enjoy right away in your favorite salads, sandwiches, pastas, and more *OR* choose one of the storage methods below.

STORAGE OPTIONS

1. FREEZER: arrange, spaced, on a parchment lined plate and freeze for 1-2 hours. Once frozen, transfer sun-dried tomatoes to a freezer-safe bag for 3-6 months.
2. FRIDGE: as is, they can be stored for up to 4 days or longer if packed in oil. Add tomatoes to a jar, cover with olive oil, and seal. Herbs and garlic may be added to the jar as well and leftover oil will be deliciously infused with flavor. If adding garlic, they will keep up to 4 days or 1-3 weeks without. After a day or two the oil will solidify in the fridge and return to liquid state at room temperature.

TOMATO TIPS

1. Pulp content of different tomato varieties (grape, cherry, campari, etc...) vary and more watery/juicy tomatoes will take a little longer to dry out. Simply keep an eye on them and add any additional bake time needed to reach desired dryness. You can also opt to scoop the seeds and pulp out before baking, which helps dry them out faster. They can also be pressed flat with a jar or spatula at the halfway mark if desired.
2. When using sun dried tomatoes in recipes they can be rehydrated to plump them up, yielding juicer tomatoes for sauces, salads, etc... To do this, soak dried tomatoes in hot water for 15-20 minutes then drain.