How to Dry and Freeze Tomatoes

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Rosalind Creasy has written many cookbooks, and you don’t have to look hard to find garden tomatoes featured in any of them! Her newest book is called Recipes from the garden: 200 Exciting Recipes from the Author of the Complete Book of Edible Landscaping.

4 Types of Tomatoes

 There are four basic types of tomatoes, each with its own preserving virtues.

• Meaty paste tomatoes (sometimes called Romas), such as ‘Italian Red Pear,’ ‘Principe Borghese,’ ‘Roma’ and ‘San Marzano,’ are great choices for drying. You can also freeze them — whole, roasted or in sauces.
• Cherry tomatoes, such as ‘Red Cherry,’ ‘Sungold,’ ‘Sweet Chelsea’ and ‘Sweet 100,’ are smaller and sweeter than other tomato types. They're great for drying or freezing as a puréed sauce.
• Standard slicing tomatoes, such as ‘Early Girl,’ ‘Celebrity,’ ‘Ace,’ ‘Better Boy,’ ‘Homestead 24’ and ‘Rutgers,’ are great for cutting into chunks to freeze or can, and make great juice and sauces, but are generally too big and juicy for drying.
• Beefsteak tomatoes such as ‘Brandywine,’ ‘Beefmaster,’ ‘Mortgage Lifter’ and ‘Super Beefsteak’ are superjuicy, which makes them a great choice for tomato juice to be canned or frozen. They’re also good roasted or stewed.

Mozzarella Cheese Marinated with Dried Tomatoes and Herbs

Serve this inspired dish as an appetizer with focaccia or in an antipasto plate. Use the leftover oil in salad dressings, marinades and dips. These will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

1 cup dried tomatoes, whole or halved
3/4 pound fresh 1-inch mozzarella balls
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp fresh marjoram or oregano, chopped
2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp whole green peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
11⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, pour 1 cup boiling water over the dried tomatoes and let sit for at least 15 minutes, or until they are soft. Drain and set aside. Remove the mozzarella balls from their brine.

In a quart jar with a lid, add tomatoes, seasonings and cheese, each a little at a time. Pour the olive oil over the top making sure to cover all the ingredients. Refrigerate to marinate for at least 24 hours before using. Makes 1 quart.

Stewed Tomatoes

This recipe is a time-honored tradition for preserving lovely ripe garden tomatoes, and it’s also great for canning. For more information about how to can tomatoes, see Learn to Can for Homegrown Flavor.

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