Q. Is it difficult to make your own sun dried tomatoes?

Sarah, Kings Norton

A. Oven dried tomatoes, as we call them, are a great way of preserving and intensifying the great flavour of tomatoes.

Slice the tomatoes in half, arrange them in rows in an oven proof dish, season with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little sugar, add chopped garlic and fresh thyme.

Then place in a very low oven, somewhere around 50° (Gas Mark ¼) or even with just the pilot light.

The hardest part now is the wait as they could take as long as 24 hours, depending on the size of the tomato.

They are ready when the moisture around the seeds has dried and the skin is wrinkled.

Leave to cool then place in a jar and cover with olive oil.

These can then be placed in the fridge and kept for at least two months as long as they are covered in olive oil.