"sun dried" tomatoes

our first tomatoes to ripen

this season

were our romas

unfortunately

they ripened 

while we were away from home

by the time i picked them

they had

shriveled on the vine

handfuls upon handfuls

baking in the sun

going from

sun-kissed

to

heat stroke

solar energy

had zapped my tomatoes

once picked

i sliced each tomato in half

placed cut side up on a sheet pan

sprinkled with sea salt

and

placed in a 175-200 degree oven to dry

about 2 hours later

or maybe 3

i lost count

(check on them every 30 minutes after the 1st hour)

they were done

dry but not dried out

after cooling 

i stuffed the deep red chewy goodness

 into a fancy jar

and 

smothered them 

with good olive oil

"sun dried" tomatoes