Confit the tomatoes

Tomatoes are considered a bore in this country, and not without good reason. This is because the vast majority of them come from hors-sol cultivations. In addition to their ability to rot, their flavour has also been bred out. What's left are ordinary red balls that taste the same.

That's why it's important to make a careful selection when buying tomatoes. The tastiest varieties are Merinda, Datterini and tomatoes from Sardinia, all of which are also available almost all year round. However, successful purchasing is not enough. If you leave these tomatoes to ripen for another week in the kitchen - and not in the fridge, of course - they also gain a lot of flavour and aroma. As you can always make good use of delicious tomatoes, it's best to buy them in stock every few days so that you are always stocked up.

An ingenious trick to intensify the wonderful flavour of tomatoes and give many dishes a special kick is to confit them. To do this, the red balls are briefly immersed in boiling water to make peeling easier. They are then roasted in the oven at a low temperature (60-80 °C) for 3 to 4 hours. And while a large proportion of their water evaporates, the sugar caramelises in a delicious way. Together with plenty of the best olive oil, fresh herbs and garlic, the result is a truly versatile umami flavour. They enrich a salad, pasta and risotto, mozzarella, salami or raw ham. Covered with olive oil, they stay fresh in the fridge for several weeks. In theory, that is. Because they usually barely last a day. They are simply far too tasty for that!