Dried tomatoes, in Sicily, are to all intents and purposes a tradition, which is handed down from father to son.It is not just a preservation technique, but a real culinary and cultural institution inextricably linked to summer and the sun.This practice arises from the need to preserve the abundant summer harvest of ripe tomatoes for the winter. The tomatoes, cut in half and salted, are placed on racks or wooden boards (called stennituri) and left to dry slowly under the scorching sun for days, until they almost completely lose their water. This natural process not only preserves them, but intensively concentrates their flavor, making them sweet, savory and slightly acidic.Dried tomatoes in jars in oil then became the best way to preserve them already seasoned and tasty.