The Italian Method To Try When Pickling Green Tomatoes This Summer

Green tomatoes are one of summer's treasures. There's nothing quite like a fried green tomato layered onto your sweet heat BLT, except for maybe a grilled cheese sandwich packed with a pickled version of these green fruits. Pickling is a great way to preserve them, but if you plan to pickle your green tomatoes, you are going to want to use this simple Italian method which requires salt, vinegar, herbs and seasoning, some olive oil, and a little more than 48 hours to accomplish. 

To pickle green tomatoes like an Italian, you want to first slice them up and sprinkle some sea salt into the bottom of a bowl. Then place a layer of tomatoes on top of the salt, and sprinkle the top of the fruit with more salt. Repeat this process until you have layered all of your slices like a lasagna, and don't be stingy with the salt. Once, you've add the last layer of salt, place a plate on top for weight and press down. The salt is going to help draw out all of the water from the tomatoes while simultaneously enhancing their sweetness with all that salty goodness. You will need to allow your tomatoes to set for 24 hours.

You will know your tomatoes have marinated long enough when you remove the plate and find your slices bathing in a pool of water. Take each one out, squeeze gently, and dab at it with a paper towel to get rid of any lingering moisture. Place your green tomatoes in a clean, dry bowl and add vinegar. You want to fill the bowl to the rim. Place your weight or plate on top and let it set for another 24 hours. You can then remove the tomatoes from the vinegar and slice the slices into smaller bits that can fit into a jar. Add some garlic and parsley to the jar filled with tomatoes and then add olive oil. You are going to want to allow them to marinate for at least four days before you dig in.

What you will love about pickling your tomatoes is you can go for sweet, savory, or spicy, simply by adding a few custom ingredients. For a little spice, add red pepper flakes or some chopped chili peppers. If you are looking for something a little on the sweet side, a little sugar mixed in with your favorite herbs will do the trick and balance out any tartness. You can add your pickled green tomatoes to a pasta sauced with a bright and fresh pesto or substitute these for your cherry tomatoes in your spinach and balsamic cream pasta.