Moldavian Natural Fermented Pickled Tomatoes
This year I have the opportunity to show you pickle recipes from home, directly from the source, from my mother, with tomatoes from the garden and greens from the house.
My mother is an expert in the recipe for pickled tomatoes, she knows how to make them very well, with lots of greens, herbs and improvisation. Every year we eat the first ones, we pack them in jars, barrels and enjoy the winter.
Unfortunately, in order to make pickles, people have to have a cool cellar, which is a bit impossible in the city, but if you put them somewhere in November when it's already cool, they can be made on the balcony (possibly with preservatives). I do this with cabbage, but the tomatoes do it faster, they get a little sticky if I make them in the heat and keep them in the warm balcony.
Anyway, the recipe and the proportions are perfect, these are the best pickled tomatoes in barrels ever eaten and it's a shame not to show you the recipe and the method.
I invite you to comment with your pickle recipes and suggestions, please!
Wash the tomatoes, choose them - try not to put too ripe and soft tomatoes. My mother also leaves the tails.
Be careful to have good tomatoes from safe sources, if they are artificially grown, your pickles may not come out.
Wash and prepare the leaves, spices - here I even put craite flowers, they have a very good smell and give a good aroma to the pickles.
Put a row of spices and leaves in the clean barrel (or glass jar) - then a row of tomatoes. And so on until you fill the barrel.
Don't forget to put 1-2 fat peppers among the tomatoes, for flavor.
After filling the barrel, the last layer, you must put some horseradish leaves (or horseradish roots) and grape leaves. This is to avoid mold and "flower" on top.
Dissolve salt and sugar in 10 liters of cold spring water.
Take the barrel to the cellar and pour water with salt and sugar.
Close the lid tightly, leave no air and leave to ferment for at least 1 month.
We also made a faster version, to be able to taste them and take pictures for the site.
I did the same procedure in a glass jar, only I left them outside warm for 3 days, to ferment faster. Then I put them in the cellar for 2 weeks.
They were made perfect, wonderful! Tomatoes are slightly pickled, a little sweet but good, good. So this is also a quick option for the greedy.
The juice becomes more cloudy and has an aroma and taste ..... that it is drunk first! It goes well in soups instead of sour borscht.
And here's the proof .... I guarantee they are as good as they look!
If you have the opportunity, try them.
Good appetite!
