Sun-dried or confit tomatoes: which variety to choose, how to make them?

Which tomatoes are best for drying?

Elongated, round, ribbed, heart-shaped, pear-shaped or horn-shaped, cherry or Beefsteak Tomato, there are all sorts of tomatoes in every colour, shape and size. Not all are suitable for drying! Here are some varieties to rely on to make best choice. Indeed, it is recommended to choose very fleshy varieties that are not very juicy and therefore low in water. Aim of drying tomatoes is to evaporate all water contained in the fruit. As a general rule, long varieties with firm flesh that produce little juice and dry well are suitable.

Dried tomatoes are often made with San Marzano, but you can also use:

• Tomato Roma
• Tomato Prince Borghese
• Tomato Andean Horned or Andine Cornue
• Tomato de Berao
• Tomato Rio Grande

San Marzano and Roma tomatoes

We recommend using no products when growing your tomatoes as pesticidal products become concentrated during dehydration.

Oven-dried tomatoes

This more modern method is probably the easiest. You will only need a little patience. The aim is not to cook your tomatoes but to dry them while preserving the taste of fresh fruit.

1. Preheat oven to 50 °C (lowest possible temperature)
2. Cut washed tomatoes in half lengthways
3. Place them cut-side up on baking tray lined beforehand with a leaf of baking parchment: they must not touch
4. Salt lightly (half the amount you’d use for a fresh tomato) and add a little sugar
5. Turn them regularly

Process can take several hours (at least 2–3 hours) until they take on a leathery, parchment-like texture; they should remain pliable but not sticky.

Tomatoes can be dried in the oven

Drying with a dehydrator

It’s ideal for turning kilos of tomatoes into a concentrated taste of Italy, whatever the weather! This dehydration can also be done at low temperature (below or around 50°C).

1. Place tomatoes on short stems of bulb, cut side up, and season them with a mixture of three parts salt to one part sugar
2. They are ready when they have taken on a leathery texture and a darker colour

Tomatoes dried in a dehydrator

Sun drying

This is the most natural, the longest but also the most unpredictable method in our climates as it requires extraordinary climatic conditions ; plenty of sun, temperatures above 30 °C, dry atmosphere, in short Sicilian-style weather. A traditional method that can therefore be used in case of heatwave! Allow between 1 to 2 days, or even up to 2 weeks for complete drying, depending on level of sunshine.

1. Rinse tomatoes in clear water and dry them with absorbent paper
2. Cut tomatoes in half or into quarters
3. Remove most of the pips
4. Sprinkle tomatoes with fresh or dried herbs (basil, herbes de Provence…)
5. Arrange them cut side up, without touching, on racks or grills: air must circulate perfectly between each tomato
6. Protect with a stamen
7. Place in full sun all day in a well-ventilated spot, on a terrace or, failing that, on the rear parcel shelf of your car — the temperature there will be suitable for drying fruit…
8. Leave to dry slowly
9. Bring them indoors at night into a warm room
10. Check regularly, discard any tomatoes that go bad: they are ready when shrivelled and a very dark red

Tomatoes dried naturally in the sun

The secret: neither too much nor too little! Too dry they will be hard and inedible and not dry enough they will not keep.

Storing sun-dried tomatoes

Once your tomatoes are dried, they’ll need storing. For this, two options :

• preserving in jars

To keep them for at least a year, pack your tomatoes tightly, pressing down as you go into a sterilised jar and cover completely with olive oil. You can marinate them with herbs (thyme, bay leaves, oregano), garlic or even capers. Fill jar right to top otherwise candied tomatoes may mould. Store away from light, in a cool place.

Preserving dried tomatoes in a jar

• in bags

Another option to keep dried tomatoes: place them in freezer bags. You can keep them in fridge for a few weeks, or freeze them to keep for several months.