Sun-dried tomatoes: how to incorporate them into your cooking

Versatile and intensely flavored, sun-dried tomatoes are a perfect match for a wide range of Mediterranean recipes. A simple and healthy ingredient that can elevate the flavor and even the visual appeal of your recipes.

Let's explore how sun-dried tomatoes are produced, and discover the best ways to incorporate them into our dishes.

Sun-dried tomatoes: how are they made?

Extremely popular in Italy thanks to their distinctive rich flavor and adaptability, sun-dried tomatoes are readily available in stores or easily prepared at home using three methods: sun-drying, oven-roasting, or using a dehydrator

The drying process aims to eliminate the water contained in the tomato, concentrating its flavor and preserving its organoleptic properties. This process also ensures a long shelf life when stored in oil, with the option of adding garlic, spices, or chili pepper for added flavor.

The tomato varieties that are best suited for drying are San Marzano, date, and cherry tomatoes. If the tomato appears particularly firm, you can soften it prior to drying by immersing it in warm water or extra virgin olive oil. To facilitate the dehydration process, cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and sprinkle with coarse salt before drying.

How to make your dishes tastier with sun-dried tomatoes

A popular choice for adding flavor to pasta dishes and salads, sun-dried tomatoes can add a unique touch to many traditional Mediterranean dishes. 

From pizza to bruschetta, from focaccia to meat, from omelets to sandwiches, from mousse to fish carpaccio, there are dozens of dishes that acquire an especially vibrant flavor thanks to the addition of sun-dried tomatoes, either chopped into small pieces or made into a condiment, such as a pesto made with blended sun-dried tomatoes.

Below are some dishes that work particularly well with sun-dried tomatoes:

• Pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and anchovies
• Bruschetta with sun-dried tomatoes and burrata
• Salad with sun-dried tomatoes, feta and olives
• Focaccia with rosemary and sun-dried tomatoes
• Chicken with herbs and sun-dried tomatoes
• Zucchini, stracciatella and sun-dried tomato panino
• Tuna mousse with sun-dried tomatoes

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