Apulian summer. July. Tomatoes are cut in half, salted, and laid out in the sun on wooden racks. For whole days. Until the water has evaporated and the flavor has concentrated.
What remains is intense. Sweet and acidic all at once. With a depth that a fresh tomato will never have.
They are preserved in oil, with capers, garlic, and chili pepper. The same ingredients as always. The recipe doesn't change because it doesn't need to.
- Producer: Mario Iaculli, Cerignola (FG)
- Ingredients: sun-dried tomatoes, sunflower seed oil, white wine vinegar, salt, parsley, garlic, chili pepper, acidity regulator E330, antioxidant E300.
- Drying: sun-dried, on wooden racks
- Net weight: 550 g
- Storage: cool, dry place. After opening, keep refrigerated and consume within 4-5 days
- Origin: Puglia, Italy
How are they used in the kitchen?
Just as they are for appetizers and charcuterie boards; chopped, they add flavor to sauces, pasta salads, friselle, and sandwiches. The flavored oil in the jar is excellent as a condiment.
How do you eat them?
On bruschetta, on focaccia, on pasta. On a platter with the eggplant strips from the same producer and the caciocavallo cheese. Or straight from the jar, one by one, with your fingers. That is also a perfectly valid way.
Do they need to be rehydrated before use?
No. They are already preserved in oil, soft and ready. The sun-dried tomatoes that need rehydrating are those sold dry, without oil.
Why are they so flavorful?
Sun-drying removes the water and concentrates the sugars and acidity. One sun-dried tomato contains the flavor of many fresh ones.
How long do they last after opening?
In the refrigerator, covered in oil, 4-5 days. If needed, top up with extra virgin olive oil.
