Never Buy Sun-Dried Tomatoes Again

With summer’s bounty overflowing with perfectly ripe tomatoes, why not put some of them to good use by drying them? It only takes three simple steps; when you’re finished, enjoy them on their own or use them in your favorite fresh pasta dish.

What you’ll need:

• 24 plum (Roma) tomatoes
• Small spoon
• Broiler rack 

How To: 

1. Heat oven to 200°F. Rinse tomatoes and remove stems; drain on paper towels. Cut each tomato in half lengthwise; using small spoon, scoop out and discard seeds.

2. Place tomato halves, cut side down, on broiler rack. Dry in oven 6 to 12 hours or until tomatoes are dry to the touch and chewy in texture, turning once after 4 hours. Check after 6 hours and remove any smaller tomatoes that have dried.

3. Remove from oven and cool completely. Store in tightly covered container in cool dark location.

Expert Tips:

• Place larger halves on outer edges of rack for even cooking.
• Edges may be crisp, but tomatoes should not be crisp in the center; they should be somewhat pliable. Tomatoes will be dark red and some pieces may have brown or dark spots.
• To rehydrate, place tomatoes in small bowl; cover with hot or boiling water. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes or until softened.