When I was little, I looked forward to July so I could go on holiday to my uncles' house in Jaén. Among other things, because my aunt used to prepare some really good dried tomatoes in olive oil.
Now that a few decades have passed, I want to share this recipe with you, with some changes that, I believe, enrich the dish.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Kg of medium-sized ripe tomatoes
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Oregano
- Garlic
- Sugar
- Extra virgin olive oil
We cut the tomatoes in half, and with the open side facing up, we place them on a baking tray. We add salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic, and a little sugar to taste. Then we sprinkle them with extra virgin olive oil .
It is very important that the olive oil is extra virgin , since it is healthier, and far superior in terms of quality and flavor to virgin oil.
In this case, I have chosen Finca La Torre Hojiblanca selection organic extra virgin olive oil, which I think goes fantastically well with tomatoes (it will be the same oil that we will later use to preserve them). We put the tray in the oven at 90º for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, remove the tray from the oven. Let it cool to room temperature so that it becomes harder.
We put the tomatoes in a glass jar. We fill the jar with extra virgin olive oil up to the top, until the tomatoes are well covered. The oil will prevent oxygen from entering the jar, which will act as a natural preservative for our tomatoes, keeping them in perfect condition for several weeks. And if we put the jar in a bain-marie… they will last for months.
As the hours and days go by, the tomatoes soaked in extra virgin olive oil will enhance their flavour and acquire a special texture that you will surely love.
You can enjoy this dish cold, hot or at room temperature. Personally, I prefer it at room temperature.
I hope you like it as much as I do.
