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Making your own oven-dried tomatoes is less expensive than buying sun-dried tomatoes at the market, and they are much better. They make a wonderful addition to salads, pastas, as a topping for pizzas or any recipe that calls for sun-dried tomatoes.

Oven-Dried Tomatoes

20 firm-ripe Roma tomatoes (or better yet, use your homegrown variety)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leafed parsley
Coarse or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

1. Trim the stem ends off of the tomatoes, quarter lengthwise and remove and discard seeds. Place in a large, nonmetallic bowl and add the olive oil, vinegar, parsley, mixing well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover bowl and allow to marinate in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 200*F (95*C).
3. Place tomatoes in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet.
4. Bake for 16 to 20 hours. Ideally, the best time to place them in the oven is around 7:00 in the evening and bake the tomatoes throughout the night. The next morning you'll have plump, juicy and intensely flavorful tomatoes. Cool completely before storing.
5. To store: Place dried tomatoes in sterilized glass jars and pour olive oil over to cover, seal tightly with lids. Store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. Or, place tomatoes in a zipper-style bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Makes 80.