Create a simple tomato sauce to add straight to pasta or as the basis for other recpies.
Ingredients
- 5 kg very ripe tomatoes, quartered
- 10 – 20 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ bunch thyme sprigs
- 4 rosemary sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
Method
- Place the tomato in a large saucepan or stockpot with the garlic and salt.
- Using kitchen string, tie herbs into a bundle and throw them into the pan.
- Simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes break down and become pulpy. Cool slightly.
- Remove from the heat and discard the herb bundle. Pass the tomato mixture through a food mill (mouli) and return to a clean saucepan. (Alternately, you can whizz the mixture in a food processor or with a stick mixer, then strain to remove the seeds and skin. Your sauce may turn a bit orange in colour – it will still taste great though.)
- Preheat the oven to 120ºC. Place six 500 g preserving jars and lids on a baking tray, then place in the oven for 30 minutes to sterilise. Meanwhile, return the saucepan of passata to medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened.
- Ladle the hot passata into the hot jars, filling almost to the top, and seal with the lids.
- To preserve the passsata, wrap the jars in newspaper and pack, standing up, into a large saucepan or stockpot. Fill the pan with water, making sure the jars are submerged, and place over medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 hour to vacuum seal the jars, topping up with boiling water to ensure the jars are always submerged. Allow jars to cool completely in the water.
- Prepared as above and stored in a cool dark place, your passata will last for up to 1 year.
- Opened jars of passata will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
