Sun-dried tomatoes with parmiagiano under oil

Sun-drived tomatoes conserved under oil

For those of you who have vegetable gardens or access to cheap, fresh produce...this recipe is for you! Espeically if you love good cheese and tomatoes...

In Italy I used to can and dry my own tomatoes. I did not, however, have my own garden, though I did have access to cheap produce in the markets. Summertime in San Felice Circeo, about an hour and half south of Rome, where we used to summer, and also spend weekends thoughout every season--you could find every vegetable and fruit existing--almost.

To dry tomatoes...use plump, Roma or preferably San Marzano. Wash, dry and cut in half, salt and set on flat rush mats or woven basket trays. Turn every day...take them in at night to avoid humidity, and cover with white cotton kitchen towels. Keep them in hot, summer sun until l they are dried. Make sure that air circulates underneath as well as on top of them.

Once they are completely dried (2-3 weeks of constant, hot summer sun), then you may utilize them any way you want…for salads, pizza, pasta, risottos, you name it.

Here’s another way to make them super-duper delish and they’ll keep for at least a year—probably longer, but that will never happen in my house--they are tomato gobblers for sure. this is not a cheap dish , due to the Parmigiano and excellent olive oil you use...never stint in the kitchen, or don't bother wasting your time!

Here is the recipe for sun-dried tomatoes under oil with PARMIGIANO.


Ingredients: Please don't ask me quantities...

Sun-dried tomatoes
parmiagiano
white vinegar
garlic
parsley
hot pepper
and also black coarse ground pepper if desired
salt
olive oil ( d'oliva extra vergine, first cold press)

When the white vinegar boils add the tomatoes and boil for about 10 minutes.
Drain tight and let dry and rest for 24 hours

Prepare a chopped mix of parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and however much hot pepper you desire.

Slice the Parmigiano into thin slices to put in the middle of two slices of tomato, for example, sandwich style. (tomato-parmigiano-tomato)

In the bottom of a glass vase that closes hermetically, place olive oil and some of the chopped mix, a little more oil and begin to place the tomatoes in the vase, adding always some of the chopped mix and some olive oil until the vase is full and on top floats a good amount of olive oil.

Seal the vase and don't open it for one entire lunar cycle, that is a month

something to remember--O I sue the wide-mouth jars that have a fresh sealing rubber ring--remember to change the rings from season to season...and remember always to sterilize the jars, vase, what-have-you, with boiling water, and then make sure that they are completely dry before you begin the process.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.