italy at home: pomodori secchi
Pomodori secchi
sun-dried tomatoes
So what are pomodori secchi? These flavor packed and very versatile little tomatoes are made from Italian Roma (or plum) tomatoes and earned their cute name from the farmers that left the fresh tomatoes in the sun for days, soaking up the warmth and dehydrating them slowly over time. Usually seasoned with salt, they are like little tomato raisins that you can buy by the bag-full at local markets or in the preserves aisle marinated in seasoned oils.
And after living here, I’ve officially added these to my list of kitchen pantry essentials. For about €2.50 you can get a half kilo package of pomodori secchi in the produce section of your local grocery store. We use them for everything from pizza toppings, salad dressings, antipasto snacking. Chop them and toss into soups, chili or kick up a lasagna sauce base. Forget the cookie jar, they’ve become my daughter’s favorite little treat.
Two ways to purchase pomodori secchi in Italy:
Soaked in seasoned olio d’oliva
or
Salt dried, like the photo above
For the sake of creativity, I prefer purchasing the latter in bulk. To prepare them for cooking just soak a handful in very hot water for at least 30 minutes prior to adding. This process will plump them up just enough, and leave you with a lovely seasoned brine should you need to thin any sauces. Once plump, mince, chop or mix them into pasta sauces, broths, dressings, bruschetta and more.
Easy Dressing
for salad, bruschetta, grain bowls
1/4 cup olio d’oliva
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6-10 pomodori sechi, chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed but still together
Combine all the ingredients in a small jar. Give them a good shake. Let it set for at least 30 minutes (the longer the better) before tossing.
Cheat Day: Pizze
his and hers
Marito (Husband)
Pomodori, mozzarella, cipolla rossa, salsiccia, salamino piccante, pomodori secchi
Tomato sauce, mozzarella, red onion, sausage, pepperoni, sun-dried tomato
Moglie (Wife)
Pomodori, mozzarella, pesto, burrata, pistacchio, pomodori secchi
Tomato sauce, mozzarella, pesto, burrata, pistacchio, sun-dried tomato
