Good afternoon, my reader. Sun-dried tomatoes. It’s not difficult to prepare this aromatic Italian delicacy; it’s harder to choose the right ingredients - the tomatoes should be medium-sized, with dense, fleshy pulp. The abundance of seeds and juice is also not good for cooks - they will have to be removed before starting cooking.
Tomatoes. (Photo used under standard license ©ogorodnye-shpargalki.ru)
The taste qualities of fresh fruits do not matter - during the drying process, the tomato pulp is mixed with fragrant herbs and spices, which give the dish a unique taste. Residents of Italy have long compiled a list of varieties suitable for drying, and Russian gourmets have added to it. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the selection and choose your own favorite.
The best varieties of tomatoes for drying
It must be said right away that not all varieties grown in open ground or in greenhouses are suitable for cooking according to Yulia Vysotskaya’s recipe. She recommends using only small tomatoes. Salad tomatoes are definitely not suitable - you need canning varieties with thin, durable skin and dense pulp.
Among domestic varieties, Yulia recommends all types of small tomatoes. Cherry will also work. Keep in mind that overripe fruits are definitely not suitable. Select only dense, elastic and shiny ones.
San Marzano
Shoots of a mid-season variety bear a harvest of elongated dark red cream-type fruits. They can weigh from 90 to 120 grams; under the smooth thick skin they hide dryish fleshy pulp, which has a characteristic sweet and sour taste. Tomatoes contain almost no seeds. San Marzano fruits do not crack and are suitable for long-term storage and transportation. They are used in the production of canned products, as well as for drying and drying. It is believed that the San Marzano harvest is worthy of becoming an ingredient for making Neapolitan pizza.
Tomatoes. (Photo used under standard license ©ogorodnye-shpargalki.ru)
The shoots of the indeterminate variety reach 1.8 meters in height. The plant needs to be tied to a trellis and pinched; it does not tolerate excess moisture. San Marzano is thermophilic; in the middle zone it is grown exclusively in greenhouses. Diseases do not affect the crop.
About spices
The basis of Mediterranean cuisine is spices. Dried vegetables prepared in sunny Italy, thanks to the spices, are a masterpiece of taste. But we, living in Siberia or the Urals, can also prepare something similar.
Following the recommendations of Yulia Vysotskaya, tomatoes for the winter according to her recipe can be seasoned with black pepper and basil. She uses not only dried basil, but also fresh basil, just picked from the garden.
It’s worth listening to one more piece of her advice. She prefers purple basil varieties. In her opinion, the spicy notes of purple varieties of basil are better revealed during heat treatment.
How to cook sun-dried tomatoes according to Julia Vysotskaya's recipe
Buy tomatoes at the market or pick tomatoes, red cream, small in size from your garden. Wash and dry the fruits. Choose a suitable vessel for cooking. This can be either a baking sheet or a large-diameter frying pan.
You can take care of the tomatoes: wash them, drain them, cut each tomato in half. The seeds that are inside will have to be removed, using a teaspoon for this. We don't need this pulp. Place the halves tightly on a baking sheet. Place the notch facing up.
It's time to prepare the dressing. To do this, take a mortar and pestle. We will grind the spices. First, generously sprinkle in some black peppercorns, followed by dried basil, a large pinch of coarse sea salt and, at the very end, chopped fresh basil.
Peel the garlic and add it to other spices. By the way, the more garlic, the better. When cooked, it gives tomatoes a wonderful taste and aroma. Grind all this with a pestle until a homogeneous mass is spread over the tomatoes. There should be enough for everyone.
A crucial moment comes, without which the recipe for sun-dried tomatoes will not correspond to Yulia Vysotskaya’s recipe. It's time to season the dish with olive oil. The author of the recipe advises choosing refined olive oil. Water generously, as the halves should be 2/3 immersed in oil.
Preheat the oven to 190° and place a baking sheet in it. We will dry it for at least 3 hours. According to Yulia, the longer the tomatoes sit in the oven, the better.
Dishes with sun-dried tomatoes: recipes with photos
The most common dishes with the addition of sun-dried tomatoes are various pastas and salads.
Pasta recipe with sun-dried tomatoes
For 200 g of boiled spaghetti (pasta), take 50 g of sun-dried tomatoes, a clove of garlic, 2 young onions with herbs, 50 g of Adyghe cheese, a sprig of parsley, salt, black pepper to taste and a little olive oil.
Boil the spaghetti, at the same time heat the oil in a frying pan, add chopped garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, then onions and cheese. Fry for a few minutes, add parsley and finally boiled spaghetti. Stir for a few minutes and garnish with a sprig of herbs.
Salad with avocado and sun-dried tomatoes
To prepare this tasty and healthy dish, take 150 g of salad leaves (arugula, lettuce) and sun-dried tomatoes, 1 avocado, half a lemon, 60 g of cheese and spices to your taste.
Place lettuce leaves on a dish, add diced avocado and pieces of sun-dried tomatoes, divided into pieces. Sprinkle it all with spices and cheese, sprinkle with lemon juice and the oil in which the tomatoes were stored.
Sun-dried tomatoes cooked in an electric dryer
Do you have an electric dryer? This is very good. Try the recipe for making sun-dried tomatoes in an electric dryer, and you will always have a jar of yummy stuff in the refrigerator. We select tomatoes suitable for drying, wash them and start slicing.
Cut crosswise into slices 1 cm thick. Do not wilt slices that are too thin. Place the tomato mugs on the dryer rack and start it. While the process is underway, we are doing refueling.
The first dressing option will be with garlic. Clean two heads and grind them in a garlic press. Place the garlic mass in a bowl, season with salt and grind with a spoon until smooth. We will use Herbs de Provence seasoning as the second dressing.
Remove dried tomatoes from the dryer. We will fill the first jar with garlic dressing. Place a layer of tomato, a layer of dressing, and so on until the very top. Press down the layers with a spoon. When the jar is filled to the top, fill the contents with olive oil and close the jar with a lid.
We fill the second jar in the same way, only instead of garlic dressing, we salt each layer and sprinkle with Provençal herbs. Pour oil into the filled jar. We put the jars in the refrigerator. Only after two weeks will the tomatoes gain flavor and can be used for cooking.
The best varieties of carrots. 57 popular varieties of carrots
There are many varieties of carrots. Most gardeners focus on the timing of planting in open ground and the growing season - the earlier the fruits can be harvested, the better. The article discusses early, mid-season and late varieties of carrots.
Alenka
Mid-early variety. The fruits ripen in 90-100 days. Carrots with orange flesh and skin. It has good taste. The pulp is dense, sweet, aromatic. Carrot length is 14-16 cm, weight 300-500 g. The variety is grown in open ground. From 1 sq. m harvest up to 10 kg of mature vegetables.
The variety is resistant to many diseases. Grows well in soils where early potatoes, cabbage, onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes previously grew. Can be stored all winter.
Queen of Autumn
A late-ripening variety that attracts the attention of gardeners due to the even shape of the fruit. Ripe fruits are harvested after 117-130 days. The length of one carrot is 20-25 cm, average weight 60-180 g. The peel and pulp are bright orange with a reddish tint. The pulp is juicy and sweet.
To grow the variety, it is better to choose areas with loose soil. Favorable conditions will ensure the emergence of seedlings two weeks after sowing the seeds.
Karotan
Late ripening variety. It takes 135-140 days from germination to technical maturity. Suitable for growing on an industrial scale, the yield is very high. Compliance with simple care conditions will allow you to collect 250-405 centners of ripe carrots from 1 hectare at the end of the growing season.
The root crops are dense and heavy, orange in color, 25 cm long. For planting, choose well-lit areas with fertile soils. The variety is suitable for processing and storage.
Chance
Mid-season variety recommended for preparing baby food. It is valued for its long-term storage capabilities. Before sowing, seeds are treated with a growth stimulant, which helps to increase yield and accelerate fruit ripening.
Root vegetables are orange-red in color. Carrots ripen 100-110 days after sowing the seeds. The weight of the vegetable reaches 200 g with a length of 20 cm. The pulp is aromatic, juicy, and sweetish.
Losinoostrovskaya 13
Many summer residents choose this variety to grow on their plots. This demand is due to high yield, resistance to low temperatures, and long shelf life. The culture is used for making juices and purees.
The fruits are up to 18 cm long, weighing 150-200 g. The growing season lasts 80-90 days. The crop requires regular watering and weed removal. Seeds are planted in autumn or spring.
Moscow winter A 515
Mid-season variety. From the period of sowing seeds to full maturity of the fruit, 90-98 days pass. It is permissible to sow seeds before winter. For winter crops, the variety is suitable for harvesting bunched products 10 days earlier than other varieties. It is grown throughout Russia. Shows good results when sown in April-May.
Root vegetables are bright orange. The length of the vegetable is 16 cm with a weight of 170 g. From 1 sq. m harvest up to 7 kg of ripe carrots.
NIIOH 336
A hybrid crop that ripens within 110-120 days from the formation of the first shoots. But when growing carrots in the southern parts of Russia, the growing season lasts only 80-90 days. Planting is carried out in early April, when the soil is warmed up and frosts are no longer a concern.
Orange root vegetables. The length of the vegetable reaches 20 cm, the diameter is 4-5 cm. The average weight of the vegetable is about 110 g. The pulp is juicy. The variety is characterized by excellent taste.
Touchon
An early ripening variety belonging to the Amsterdam variety. The fruits ripen quickly and smoothly when grown in open ground. The advantage of the variety is its increased resistance to temperature changes.
The growing season lasts 80-90 days from the moment of sowing until the fruit ripens. Carrots with an even shape and almost invisible eyes. With a length of 15-20 cm, the vegetable weighs no more than 150-200 g. The pulp is tender with a pronounced carrot aroma. From 1 sq. m, a gardener can harvest 4-5 kg of root vegetables.
Flaccoro
A late-ripening Dutch variety characterized by good taste. Root crops have an excellent appearance and uniformity of fruits, resistance to cracking.
The ripening period is 120-140 days. Carrots with a rounded core in cross section. The pulp is orange, juicy, with a high carotene content. The peel is bright orange. The fruits reach 30 cm in length and 135-200 g in weight. Harvest in September when sowing seeds in April-May. From 1 sq. m, 3.5-5.5 kg of fruits are collected.
Bangor F1
A Dutch hybrid, which is classified as the “Berliku” variety because of its external characteristics. It is recommended to sow seeds in April, when frosts and long-term cold snaps have disappeared. Carrots ripen in 110 days. For cultivation, it is better to choose loose sandy loams and light loams.
Drying tomatoes in the sun
In sunny weather, tomatoes can be dried in the sun. The main thing is to choose a suitable variety of tomatoes, small with dense pulp and elastic skin. Cut each fruit into four parts, remove the seeds.
Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with foil. The foil will reflect the sun's rays and thereby speed up the drying process. Generously salt the fruits prepared for drying. Place the baking tray in the sun. The drying process will be long, it will take at least 7 days. It’s not bad if the baking sheet is in a draft. A draft speeds up drying.
We finish drying when the slices have lost almost all moisture and have decreased by more than half of their original volume. We will store sun-dried tomatoes in small jars. Sprinkle Provençal herbs at the bottom of the jar, add chopped garlic and a little black pepper. Place a layer of dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with a layer of garlic and spices. Repeat layers until the jar is full. Pour olive or vegetable oil over the preparation and store in the cold.
The shelf life of sun-dried tomatoes is 6 months.
Which tomatoes are suitable for drying?
The main thing for drying tomatoes is the quality of the pulp. It should be dense, fleshy and there should be as little water in it as possible. This means that the ideal variety of tomatoes for sun-driing is plum, aka “cream”, aka roma, and the best variety is San Marzano. Regular plum tomatoes of domestic varieties such as “chio-chio-san” or “buyan” are among the cheapest in season.
Another option - much more expensive, but no less successful - is the so-called “Baku” tomatoes. Since they are round and not oblong, they just need to be cut differently. Many of our friends, for example the wonderful Miriam Ben-Sander , author of the book “Gastronoma” about Jewish home cooking, use cherry tomatoes, but they definitely need dense and meaty ones.
Can all varieties of tomatoes be dried? What are the best varieties suitable for this?
This season, I also became interested in drying tomatoes, since I bought them more than once in the Mediterranean countries. In Italy, special varieties of tomatoes are grown for drying in the sun. Sometimes they grow on special volcanic soils, that is, they have their own unique specific taste.
But we are not in Italy, there are much fewer sunny days, and there are no traditions of drying tomatoes. Therefore, we will make do with what we have. For example, this year I used tomatoes of the “Nastena-Slastena” variety for felting. They are red-brown, plum-shaped and very sweet, it turned out well.
And the next year I ordered Italian tomato seeds on the Internet, intended specifically for drying - the “Corbata” variety - red, plum-shaped.
Experienced people write that the variety of tomatoes for drying is not as important as the taste of the tomatoes; if they are sweet and fleshy, then they can be dried. But preference is given to medium-sized, dense, round or plum-shaped tomatoes, which are cut into halves or quarters and dried.
How to prepare tomatoes for drying
Preparing tomatoes is not difficult, but it does take time. In order not to lose it too actively, it is better to carry out the process in series.
Series 1: Prepare a work surface by covering it with several layers of paper towels; a teaspoon with a sharp edge or a noisette spoon-knife and a bowl for “waste”.
Series 2: Cut all the plum tomatoes in half lengthwise (round ones into 4 pieces).
Series 3: armed with a spoon, remove the seeds from each slice along with the liquid and place in a bowl. Place the tomatoes cut side up on towels.
Episode 4: Season the inside of each tomato half well and turn cut side down onto paper towels. Leave to allow excess liquid to drain out for 20–30 minutes.
Series 5: Line baking trays with baking paper and lightly grease it with olive oil.
If there is someone else alive in the house besides you, you can assign different workers to different episodes. It turns an otherwise boring process into a fun family time.
Tomatoes prepared for drying
Finger lickin' good: TOP 10 secrets for making sun-dried tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes are becoming increasingly popular among Belarusians. Canned and pickled tomatoes are no longer as interesting to modern housewives as they were to their mothers and grandmothers. What is the secret of sun-dried tomatoes and how can you prepare them?
How to cook sun-dried tomatoes?
To prepare them you will need a lot of tomatoes, seasonings, an oven and a lot of time.
On average, for 1.5 kg of small tomatoes you will need to use 1 tsp of sugar, 2 cloves of garlic, dried basil, garlic, pepper and sea salt, as well as about 5-6 tbsp of olive oil. The output will be a half-liter jar of excellent sun-dried tomatoes.
The tomatoes are washed, dried, cut into halves and the stems are removed.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with foil or parchment paper and place the tomatoes on top, cut side up. The next step is the most valuable in terms of final taste. Tomatoes are sprinkled with pepper, salt, sugar, and dry herbs. Top the vegetables with a little olive oil and sprinkle with finely chopped garlic.
Next, the tomatoes prepared in this way should be baked at a temperature of 80-150 degrees for at least 3-3.5 hours.
While still hot, the tomatoes should be placed tightly in prepared jars and filled with the aromatic oil remaining on the baking sheet. After compacting the tomatoes and closing the jar, you can put it in a warm oven for another 30 minutes for additional sterilization.
Flavor options: Herbs de Provence, bay leaf and cloves
In fact, you can “season” sun-dried tomatoes with almost any herbs and seasonings you like. Only salt, and perhaps a few pinches of sugar, are required ingredients, as they act as a preservative.
Basil, rosemary, allspice, bay leaf, cloves, and oregano are perfect for sun-dried tomatoes.
Perfect beauty and maximum effect
To achieve deeper flavor and consistent tomato pieces that look perfect in jars, you can core the tomatoes before cooking. This is also done in cases where the tomatoes are slightly different in size and their cooking time may vary.
Additional drying time will also help achieve a better effect. After 2.5-3 hours of cooking at a temperature of 150 degrees, you can lower the temperature to 100 and cook for another 1.5-2 hours.
To let the humid air escape...
For a better drying effect, you should also turn on the convection mode in the oven. Some housewives who have tried various methods of preparing sun-dried tomatoes have come up with another trick. They leave the oven door slightly ajar while inserting a wooden spatula soaked in cold water. This ensures that moist air escapes from the oven where the tomatoes are cooked.
Which tomatoes are better?
Ideal for making sun-dried tomatoes are plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and any type of small, fleshy tomatoes. If you use more watery varieties of tomatoes, then, most likely, the moisture in them will evaporate, and you will only have to feast on the skin.
Without fanaticism!
As a result of cooking, tomatoes will greatly decrease in size, but they cannot be completely deprived of moisture. They should remain slightly moist and not become completely dry and brittle.
By the way, if you don’t like tomatoes, you can get baked tomatoes instead of sun-dried ones. They will become like this after 1.5-2 hours of cooking.
Hot or cold?
In the basic recipe that we gave above, it is recommended to place still hot tomatoes in jars. However, this option for preparing sun-dried tomatoes is not the only one. According to some recipes, the tomatoes should first be cooled and then transferred to prepared jars, pouring the layers with oil and “flavoring” with herbs.
With electric dryer and freezer
In addition to the oven, you can cook sun-dried tomatoes using the same principle in an electric dryer at a temperature of 60-100 degrees. You can just as easily use a microwave.
And you can store sun-dried tomatoes not only in jars, but also... in the freezer. After cooling the tomatoes after cooking in the dryer or oven, you can put them in a bag or container and put them in the freezer.
Where to store tomatoes?
Sun-dried tomatoes are best stored in a cool, dark place. Ideally in the refrigerator. To keep tomatoes longer, it is recommended to shake them thoroughly when closing the jars, and leave the warm jars, wrapped in towels, until the next morning with the lids down. You should also pay attention to ensure that the tomatoes are completely covered with oil.
And you can only remove tomatoes from a jar with a dry fork. Otherwise, they will quickly begin to mold.
How to use sun-dried tomatoes?
Sun-dried tomatoes can be consumed as a snack. They go perfectly with wine, cheese, pasta. You can also add sun-dried tomatoes to savory baked goods, pizzas, omelettes, salads or other dishes. Sun-dried tomatoes are an excellent side dish for meat or fish.
How to improve future sun-dried tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes themselves are a very tasty thing, but they still need one product to give them nobility. This is extra virgin olive oil . Spray the inside of the tomatoes with it (before this, each half removed from the paper towel can be additionally dried with a new paper towel, but this is completely optional). You can put some flavoring inside each half (see Tips and Tricks). I always add a thin slice of garlic.
How to dry tomatoes in the oven
Turn on the oven, setting the temperature to 60–90°C: you can use convection mode, or just bottom-up. Place the tray with tomatoes inside, close the door and forget about them for three hours. The lower the temperature you set, the longer the tomatoes will naturally dry, but the longer the result will be stored.
Since it won't last longer than a week in my house anyway, I set it to 95°C. After 3-4 hours, check how they are doing. Does it dry too quickly? Then you need to reduce the temperature. Is it even? Then you need to turn the baking sheet 180 °C. Dry the tomatoes this way for 4 to 12 hours, depending on the quality of the tomatoes, oven temperature, and your personal preference.
Tomato discoveries 2022. Part 1. Tomatoes for drying
This year I went crazy, there’s simply no other way to say it.
You have to be a tomato maniac to plant 50 varieties and hybrids of tomatoes in a 2.6 x 5.5 m greenhouse. Of course, all planting standards were violated, since in addition to tomatoes, I also managed to plant 9 cucumbers there. Agricultural technology is common, it is clear that if you collect so many different tomatoes in one greenhouse, it will be impossible to please everyone. Therefore, in June, I watered all the tomatoes with calcium nitrate and sprayed them with boric acid for better set. The below-mentioned varieties also got all this for company for drying, but we must give these varieties their due, they are not picky, let alone exotic. And mulching the soil with a 5 cm layer of hemp brome helps against late blight; in addition, the last time I water the tomatoes is at the end of July; no watering in August. But these are the structural features of the soil in my greenhouse, the fertile layer is only 25 cm, and below there is a layer of clay that retains moisture well, and this is quite enough for tomatoes.
Tomatoes for drying
Initially I wanted to talk about a couple of new varieties, but simply couldn’t choose, so I decided to briefly talk about some, combining them by characteristics.
Sun-dried tomatoes are very popular now, I also love them very much, but in the store they are quite expensive, and making them at home is not at all difficult, you just need to choose the right varieties. My usual set of tomatoes for drying: 'Palmyra', 'San Marzano', 'Banana', 'Elisha'. This year added to this list: 'Red Firewood', 'Yellow Firewood', 'San Marzano Cosaro'. All of the tomatoes listed are varieties, that is, if you buy them once, you will continue to use your own seeds.
Of course, you can dry any tomatoes, but if you don’t want to be disappointed with the result, then you need to choose fleshy varieties with a high dry matter content (more pulp, and a minimum of juice and seeds).
All that remains is to cut it across and into the oven. The lowest one is 'Bananachik', the rest are 'Palmyra'. Before drying, the seeds must be removed, and long tomatoes must be cut first lengthwise and then crosswise into 2 or 3 parts.
I already talked about 'Palmyra' two years ago, I'll repeat it a little: an ideal variety for drying, indeterminate (height more than 2 meters, seeds from "Gavrish"), fruits - cream (8-10 cm) bright orange color, productivity from 3 kg per bush and above (depending on your care), store very well, have thick walls, little liquid and seeds. But for food, not everyone may like it - it’s a little dry, and the taste is not very expressive.
Palmira, this year it started to ripen very late, and my string broke on this row, and all the tomatoes collapsed. Very good 'San Marzano', its tomatoes are a little shorter in length than those of 'Palmyra', although this year I planted 'San Marzano Cosaro', they even surpassed 'Palmyra' in size, they are also dense, red, with thick walls, set well even at high temperatures, excellent yield. Plus it tastes great.
'San Marzano' 'Bananachik' (agro) - also indet, differs from the previous ones in having longer fruits, but has looser pulp, because of this it is poorly stored and it requires more time for drying. And also, if the temperature in the greenhouse is above +32°C, problems with setting are possible. However, the taste is sweetish, with a slight sourness, and is very good in salads.
'Banana'
'Elisha' (Aelita) is a determinate variety, quite productive, small (60-80 g) bright orange cream. Personally, I really like their taste, but there was a test of this variety on the site a few years ago, and some people did not like the taste.
'Elisha', he is determinant
This year's discovery for me was 'Firewood' from Aelita, more precisely 'Firewood' and 'Yellow Firewood'. Tomatoes are completely different, I don’t mean color, but all other characteristics. One thing coincides, and this cannot but rejoice: these are varieties, that is, we can collect our own seeds.
So, the 'Firewood' tomato: a standard variety, the height of mine, grown in a greenhouse, was 60 cm, the fruits are up to 10 cm long, bright red, two-chambered, with thick walls. They grew on their own, didn’t plant them, but had to be tied up because the weight of the tomatoes almost broke the plant. Ideal for canning and drying. Good yield, although I didn’t weigh them, but the number of tomatoes was definitely about 3 kg.
'Firewood is yellow'. A determinate tomato in the greenhouse was 1.2 m high, the fruit weighed 80 g, bright yellow, with a small spout, the wall was slightly thinner than the red ones, very tasty. The color change is very interesting: unripe fruits are green with streaks of darker color; as they ripen, the color becomes uniform. The yield (in my greenhouse) was slightly less than that of the 'Drova' tomato, but definitely more than 2 kg per bush.
Yes, I almost forgot to show an improved version of 'San Marzano': 'San Marzano Cosaro'. All the characteristics are the same, but the tomatoes are larger, they grow in one stem, and the yield is very good.
Photo July 29, there are few stepsons, easy to grow. I used all of these tomatoes listed above for drying this year. For reference, to make a 300 ml jar of sun-dried tomatoes, you will need 2-2.5 kg of tomatoes.
I cook them in the oven (initial temperature 120°C, main mode – 90...80°C), with the door ajar in convection mode, time – 4 hours. A prerequisite is to remove the core and seeds.
The result should be (photo from last year)
A jar of sun-dried tomatoes, you can eat it yourself, or you can give it as a gift. You choose a set of seasonings at your discretion (I always use basil and can also take Provençal herbs), of course, you will need salt, sugar - if desired, finely chopped garlic is added to the jar. I fill it only with unrefined sunflower oil, but it is odorless; “Elite Krasnodar” works very well. When I made it the first time, I used olive oil, but the jar of tomatoes needs to be stored in the refrigerator, and olive oil hardens, which I personally don’t like.
I told you briefly about the preparation, because there are so many options, and only through experience can you choose yours. I hope this short post is useful to sun-dried tomato lovers.
From the competition partner, the online store Seedspost.ru offers you to familiarize yourself with the seed catalog, where you can choose and purchase the vegetable seeds you like, including tomato seeds.
How to dry tomatoes in the sun
In the presence of the Real Sun (that is, from morning to evening, with minimal humidity and air temperature not lower than 30 ° C), do all the same preparations, place the tomatoes on racks or trays lined with paper towels, cover with gauze if there are wasp flies, and put it outside. You need to turn it over at least once every 4 hours. As soon as the sun begins to go down, bring it into the house, and put it out again in the morning. And turn it over again. Readiness is determined in the same way - by sight and taste.
How to store sun-dried tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes can be stored plain in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for 2-10 weeks, depending on the degree of dryness, or placed in a jar.
The most delicious sun-dried tomatoes are those drenched in olive oil. Or delicious sunflower. But it can also be refined, of course, if you don’t mind your previous efforts. With the addition of herbs, garlic, and maybe even olives, zest, chili and other pleasant flavors.
There is one “but” here: since there is still liquid left in the tomatoes - and the combination of water and oil during long-term storage can lead to the most serious troubles - there are two ways out. The first is to store it in the refrigerator for not too long (a week, maximum two) and eat it. Second: use only very thoroughly dried products, put them in a sterilized jar, pasteurize in a water bath for 30–40 minutes - and still store in the refrigerator, just in case.
Good helpers in the fight against microbes have long been known, you can add them - salt and vinegar. Sea salt, red wine or balsamic vinegar, both white and black.
By the way, when tomatoes in olive oil sit in the refrigerator, the oil thickens - and it’s absolutely delicious to spread on black bread. And if you beat the entire contents of the jar, with oil and all the additives, in a blender, you get a wonderful tomato pesto.
Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
The most delicious varieties of tomatoes. Tomato varieties for open ground: the best of the best
Every summer resident dreams of a large harvest of tomatoes, but not all varieties can provide such an opportunity. It is necessary to take into account their specific features, including resistance to low temperatures and various diseases. In addition, finding tasty varieties of tomatoes is just as difficult as finding ones that do not require complex care.
Instead of letting you rely on luck when choosing tomato varieties, we've put together the most important information that will dot the i's and dot the i's. In this article you will find everything that will help you grow tasty and large tomatoes in the future.
- Size
- Form
- Color
- Taste
The importance of choosing the right tomato varieties
Before you start choosing tomato varieties, it is very important to decide for what purpose they will be intended. Given their differences in taste and shape, not all tomatoes are suitable for vegetable salads and soups. For this purpose, the ideal choice would be red or pink tomatoes, which should be larger than average in size. The shape is practically irrelevant.
If tomatoes need to be a savory addition to a future dish, then cherry tomatoes and similar cocktail varieties can be an excellent option. Due to their small size, they will stand out not only in taste, but also in appearance.
To use tomatoes as a snack that will intrigue just by its appearance, tomato varieties with unusual colors are most suitable. For example, black, blue, yellow or mixed. But when choosing them, pay special attention to their taste because some will be too sour, while others, on the contrary, will be sweet.
Both red and pink tomatoes, as well as green ones, are perfect for pickling. This is the case when shape and size will not matter. But many summer residents also experiment with other colors of tomatoes, resulting in an original snack at any time of the year.
Main criteria for tomato varieties
All tomato varieties include the following characteristics:
Usually, information about the selected variety is on the seed packaging, but it is quite modest. Especially for you, we will offer for your consideration several varieties of tomato varieties that are considered the best in their category.
Top 5 largest-fruited and most productive tomato varieties
Pink giant
This variety got its name due to its pink hue and fairly large size. With proper care, you can safely count on fruits weighing up to 400 grams. The bush reaches two meters in height. The yield level is from 5 kilograms per bush.
Red giant
The bright red hue of the fruits with a maximum weight of 600 grams - this variety is especially popular among summer residents. Despite the relatively modest size of the bush (160 centimeters), its yield reaches more than 6 kilograms.
Giant
The fruits of this variety are bright red and incredibly tasty. In addition, each of them can weigh up to 450 grams. With an average height of 170 centimeters, the bush will be able to please with a large harvest, which reaches almost 8.5 kilograms.
Russian giant
This variety is distinguished by very large fruits (up to 600 grams) with excellent shape and expressive taste. Each bush reaches approximately 1.8 meters in height. The yield level is up to 7 kilograms per bush.
King of London
Basically, the fruits of this tomato variety weigh 300 grams, but in some cases they can reach 700 grams. The size of the bush can reach two meters in height. Excellent external and taste characteristics, as well as an extremely high degree of productivity (up to 10 kilograms per bush) make the King of London variety very attractive for planting.
Advantages and disadvantages: + Almost all varieties are ideal for salads and fresh consumption + Some varieties are suitable for salting + A large harvest is a joy for every summer resident + Excellent taste characteristics - More careful care is required - These varieties and their varieties are extremely demanding on the best weather conditions conditions
Result: 4-2. For such merits, it’s not a pity to spend your time and effort!
Top 5 varieties of tomatoes of different shapes
Argentine miracle
The oblong shape of this tomato variety not only arouses interest in it, but also stimulates the appetite. The fruits have a soft pink tint. Its taste is excellent, as are its yield indicators.
Ivana Kupala
Externally, the fruits of this variety resemble a pear, only red. With its unusual shape, this variety will not only give a good harvest, but will also pleasantly surprise it with its taste characteristics. In addition, it does not require maintenance.
