As I only grow enough tomatoes each year to eat fresh, I headed down to Bacchus Marsh to my favourite fruit and veg shop (Jeff Jones) and pick up a 10kg box of saucing tomatoes for a very cheap price. Then I make about 3-6 months supply of Passata, which is a basic tomato puree. Here is how I do it.
Firstly I core each tomato, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.
A 10kg box will fill about two 8 litre pots.
Then I simmered until pulpy for about 45 minutes. Give it a stir a few times during the simmer to stop it from burning to the bottom.
Once pulpy, I passed it all through the food mill to extract the pulp and leave the skins behind. Don’t forget to pass all the skins through for a second round to get the last drop of juice.
Here is the finished result. A nice and thick puree ready to bottle. I sterilised the bottles in my normal oven manner at 120C for 15 minutes, and boiled the lids separately.
To each bottle I added 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid to bring up the acid levels, then I filled the bottles using a funnel, and sealed tightly. Brought the water bath up to 92C and then kept it at that temperature for 45 minutes.
Once they were removed and cooled, I heard the audible pop of the lids. Every one sealed okay. Out of that 10 kg of tomatoes, I ended up with nine 720ml bottles (23 fl oz) of Passata.
We will probably go through this in no time, however with shop bought Passata at about $3 each, I have myself a saving of $15 (the box cost $12). It only took a couple of hours work all up and I had a relaxing time making it.
I have in the past added salt, but I now prefer to season the meal and not the ingredients that I make to put in it. Who else has made Passata, and are there any variations on the mixture? Leave a link if you have blogged about it!
I hope you’re keeping the pulp/seeds and making tomato sauce with it! Small yield vs. the volume that goes in, but with the smallest addition of some seasoning, it’s well worth it!
Now you tell me Rae! You will have to send me your favourite recipe mate! Hope you enjoyed Deutschland.
I love the stuff and make some each year. My only differences to your method I simply slice the tomatoes in half and cook, and I don’t bother with the water bath.
I simply put hot passata into hot jars and the lids give that reassuring pop as soon as they start cooling down.
Sue xx
Hi Sue, do you add the citric acid as well to keep away botulism?
What do you use this for? Pasta sauce, pizza bases?
Yes, I mainly add it to pasta sauces and curries.
I don’t bother removing the seeds before cooking. My KitchenAid takes the seeds out with the skins, so it’s not worth the bother for me. Chooks love the leftovers!
I only make very small quantities, but generally I add some fresh chopped basil after it’s been through the mill. Yum!
cheers Melinda, I will have to remember the basil next time, as I always have some growing in the summer time.
Hey Gavin. I do make it but freeze instead because I am too much of a woos (read, worried I’ll stuff it up and knock everyone off) to do the bottling version.
Your big pot and the thermometer – part of a kit or just bits and pieces picked up over time?
We go through a LOT of tomato puree in this house so I am keen, but only have so much freezer space.
The big pot is part of a Fowlers Vacola kit that I picked up on ebay, and the thermometer is from my cheese making kit.
It is easy to make this way and it stores for at least 6-8 months in the pantry.
Snap, Gavin! I too made passata last week with tomatoes from Jeff Jones in Bacchus Marsh! (My favourite stand, like you ;)).
You can see them here:
http://slowlivingessentials.blogspot.com/2012/01/stovetop-tomato-passata.html
(I’m a seed remover, too..although I like to squeeze ’em out!). x
Nice one Christine. I have to say that it was your post that got me off of my bottom to make some. Yours looked so delicious, and it was such a stinking hot day that I just had to spend it indoors making some passata! However, I didn’t realise that we shopped at the same fruit and veg stall. Snap indeed!
I made a very nice slow roasted tomato and capsicum pasta sauce with roma tomatoes from Jeff Jones recently 🙂
Hey Gavin!
Here is my version
http://thenourishedcaveman.com/?p=460
what do you think?
Vivica
Very nice Vivica.