1. Put the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar into a small saucepot over high heat, and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, turn off the heat and let the liquid cool for 3-5 minutes until hot, but no longer boiling.

2. Cut tomatoes (into either thin slices or wedges) and pack them tightly into Mason Jars. I like to use the 24-oz wide mouth jars, but any size/shape will work. Depending on the size of your tomatoes and the size of your jars, you might fill 2-4 jars. There should be plenty of liquid in this recipe to cover them, either way.

3. Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves, and distribute them evenly between your jars of tomatoes. Sprinkle in some of the chili flakes to each jar as well.

4. When liquid has finished boiling and cooled slightly, carefully pour it over the tomatoes, filling the jars to the top. Discard any extra pickling liquid.

5. Cover the jars, and let cool to room temperature. When cool, move the jars of pickles to the fridge, where they can be stored for up to six months. The flavor of the tomatoes is more pickle-y if you give them 2-3 days to sit in the fridge before opening a jar to taste them.