Dried Tomatoes

Dried tomatoes are ripe tomatoes that lose most of their water content after spending a majority of their drying time in the sun. These tomatoes are usually pre-treated with sulphur dioxide or salt before being placed in the sun in order to improve quality. Typically tomatoes spend 4-10 days in the sun in order for the sun drying process to be complete. It takes anywhere from 8 to 14 kilograms of fresh tomatoes to make a single kilogram of sun dried tomatoes. After the procedure, the tomato fruits will keep their nutritional value. The tomatoes are high in lycopene, antioxidants and vitamin C. Dried tomatoes can be used in a wide variety of recipes and cuisines. Salting and evaporating the moisture out of tomatoes, significantly delays the process of decomposition.

Usage

Dried tomatoes have widely been used in Italian cuisines. Dried tomatoes will need to be reconstituted before use. Just let them soak in warm water for 30 minutes, until soft and pliable, drain, pat dry and then can be used in the recipe. They are widely used in pastas, pizzas, wraps, etc.