August has arrived and with it we’ll see a steady stream of tomatoes coming from the garden. I chose to grow several varieties this year for a variety of uses. Even in my small garden, I have too many tomatoes to eat all at once.

Canning is great for preserving tomatoes or sauces, relishes and juices from tomatoes, but another option is drying them.

Long ago, before canning methods were developed, drying food was an effective means of enjoying food from the garden year-round. The hot tile roofs in the Italian villages were perfect for drying tomatoes that could be rehydrated later in water, wine or broth.

Sun-dried tomatoes add certain elegance to foods. Whether plain or seasoned with salt, smoked or preserved in olive oil with herbs, dried tomatoes have a flavor that is very different from the fresh tomato.

It’s easy to dry tomatoes and you really don’t need the sun. A food dehydrator or oven set on very low heat will dry the tomatoes in less time and with less hassle than drying them in the sun.

It takes 16 pounds of tomatoes to make one pound of dried tomatoes. Here are a few methods to try.

Sun-Dried: Use small to medium-size tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half. Lay in a single layer on a screen so air can circulate around them. Cover with cheese cloth. Lay trays in direct sun. Periodically turn the tomatoes. Bring tomatoes in at night. Natural sun drying can take two to four days, depending on the size of the tomatoes and the weather.

Dehydrator: Cut small to medium-size tomatoes in half and place on dehydrator racks. Dry for eight hours, rotating racks as needed.

Oven-Dried: Preheat oven to the lowest setting or 200 degrees. Slice small to medium-size tomatoes in half. Lay cut side down on screens or cooling racks. Bake uncovered in oven for six to 12 hours.

However you choose to dry your tomatoes, you will have to store them appropriately to keep them from spoiling. Place in an airtight container or pack in olive oil.

Roma tomatoes do well dehydrated as well as grape or cherry varieties.

Use dehydrated tomatoes in soups, sauces, salads, dressings, topping for baked or mashed potatoes or any way you like.

Here’s a recipe that includes dehydrated tomatoes.



Pasta with Tomato Pesto

16 ounces penne pasta or pasta of your choice

8 ounces sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 7-8 minutes.

Blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor or blender until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl; stir in the Parmesan.

Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

Penne is nice for this pesto because the tubes fill up with the pesto and you get a fresh burst of flavor. Get creative and add other things to it like parsley or chopped walnuts.

There are many ways to use dehydrated tomatoes that you might not have thought of. Experiment a little to see what works for you. In cooking there really are no rules. If it tastes good, make it again. If it tastes bad….uh, don’t make it again.

And if it tastes great, share it!