by Katie Caldesi

It seems so wasteful to throw herbs away especially when woody herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano and sage can be easily dried and kept for another day.

To dry herbs at home, pick them at their peak and tie them in bunches by their stems. Hang them in a dry, airy place until completely brittle and crumbly.  Alternatively lay out cut herbs such as those bought from a supermarket, before they go past their best, onto baking parchment and leave in a warm place to thoroughly dry out.

Rub the herbs between your hands to separate the leaves from the stems. Discard the stems.

Tip the leaves straight from the paper into a jar and use within a year. The pungency of the flavour disappears with time so use liberally while they are at their best.