Oven-Dried Herbed Tomatoes

With the summer on it's way and extra tomatoes from the garden now you have a recipe to make them last a little longer. Add to salads, grilled veggie sandwiches, breads, pastas, as a topping for pizzas. Be careful not to cook them, you are drying the tomatoes at a low temp. Give jars away as gifts!

• Ready In: 20 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 20
• Yields: 80 dried tomato appetizers

Ingredients

• 20  firm-ripe roma tomatoes (or better yet, use your homegrown variety)
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1  tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
•  coarse salt or  sea salt
•  fresh ground pepper

• Storing

•  olive oil
• 1  sprig rosemary
• 1  garlic, crushed
• 1  whole black peppercorn, to taste

Directions

1. Trim the stem ends off of the tomatoes, quarter lengthwise and remove and discard seeds.
2. Place in a large bowl and add the olive oil, vinegar, parsley, rosemary, mixing well.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Cover bowl and allow to marinate in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
6. Pack tomatoes in a single layer on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
7. Bake for 6 to 12 hours.
8. Place them in the oven around 7:00 in the evening and bake the tomatoes throughout the night.
9. You'll have plump, juicy tomatoes.
10. Cool completely before storing.
11. To store: Place tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, pepper, in sterilized glass jars and pour olive oil over to cover, seal tightly with lids.
12. Store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.