Homemade Tomato Paste from Fresh Tomatoes

Homemade tomato paste is so easy to make and so much better than anything you can buy in a can.  Use it to make spaghetti sauce or in any recipe calling for tomato paste.

Select fresh, meaty tomatoes - like Roma.  I used a mixture of tomatoes I got from my garden.  You can use any tomato you like but the more water that has to cook off the longer it will take to reduce the tomatoes to a paste.


Homemade Tomato Paste from Fresh Tomatoes
(Slow Cooker - Water Bath Method)
About 9 half-pint jars

8 quarts tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon canning or pickling salt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

I use the whole tomato but you can take the time to peeled and core them before you chop them up.  Discard stems and cut out any bruised spots. 

Place the tomatoes into a large pot and stir in 1 teaspoon salt.  Bring them to a boil over high heat. Cook about 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften, stirring often. 

In batches, puree the tomatoes in a blender until smooth and transfer to a slow cooker. Add the bay leaves. (You can also cook the tomatoes down on the stove top, if desired.)

Cook on low, with the lid removed, for approximately 8 hours. Depending on desired consistency, you might need to cook for longer.  You can cook the tomatoes on high to reduce the time but you'll have to pay attention to it so that they don't burn or stick.

I let them cook overnight on low heat.  They still needed to reduce a bit more even then.

Once the tomatoes have cooked down into a thick, delicious paste you're ready to can them.

Prepare the jars (either pint or half-pint canning) and lids by washing them in hot, soapy water.  Rinse well.  Dry the bands and set aside. Heat jars and lids in a sauce pot of simmering water.  Allow jars and lids to remain in hot water until ready for use, removing one at a time as needed.  

Fill boiling-water canner half-full with hot water. Heat water just to a simmer and keep hot until used for processing.

Transfer the tomato paste into the prepared jars. (Make sure you remove the bay leaves)  Add a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice to each jar prior to adding the tomatoes.  Leave 1/2 inch of head space.  Runa thin knife along the sides of each jar to release as many air bubbles as possible. 

Wipe rim and threads of jar with a dean, damp cloth. Remove lid from hot water using a lid wand. Place lid on jar. Screw band down evenly and firmly, just until resistance is met-fingertip tight.

As each jar is filled, set into the boiling-water canner. Water in canner should be kept at a simmer. After all jars are filled and placed into the pot make sure the water covers the two-piece caps on the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.

Put lid on canner. Bring water to a boil. Start counting processing time after water comes to a rolling boil. Process pints 30 minutes, half-pints 20 minutes, at a gentle but steady boil for altitudes at or below 1,000 feet above sea level.

When processing time is complete, turn off heat and remove canner lid. Let canner cool 10 minutes before removing jars. Remove jars from canner and set them upright, 1 to 2 inches apart, on a dry towel to cool. Do not retighten bands. Let jars cool 12 to 24 hours.


After jars have cooled, check lids for a seal by pressing on the center of each lid. If the center is pulled down and does not flex, remove the band and gently try to lift the lid off with your fingertips. If the lid does not flex and you cannot lift it off the lid has a good vacuum seal. Wipe lid and jar surface with a clean, damp cloth to remove food particles or residue. Label. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place.  They will keep for up to a year.

Pasta with Pine Nuts and Fresh Tomato Sauce

I love pasta with tomato sauce.  This sauce is lovely!  It is light and fresh because it's barely cooked. The pine nuts sauteed with garlic add flavor and texture.  For the best results select fresh tomatoes that are meaty and contain few seeds. 

Mmmm, so good.

Pasta with Pine Nuts and Fresh Tomato Sauce

2 1/4 Pounds Unrefrigerated Ripe Tomatoes (Preferably Plum)
1/4 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves
1 Tablespoon Flat-Leaf Parsley
2 Tablespoons Fresh Garlic, Chopped
1/4 Cup  Plus 1 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Coarse Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 Cup Pine Nuts
1 Pound Pasta
Grated Parmesan Cheese, For Garnish


Halve tomatoes and place in a blender or food processor.  Add basil, parsley, and 1 Tbsp garlic, and oil.  Pulse ingredients in a food processor to blend.  Add to skillet and allow to warm over medium heat while pasta is cooking.

Saute 1  Tbsp garlic in 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-low heat until soft, not brown.  Add pine nuts and continue to saute' for about 5 minutes.  Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. 

Drain pasta, and toss it in a serving bowl pine nuts and the sauce. 

Transfer to 6 shallow bowls, and drizzle with oil. Serve with cheese.

Note:  There is no need to cook or warm the sauce.  Try it raw for a fresher flavor.

Pressure Canning Tomatoes

Now that the tomatoes in my garden are finally getting ripe it's time to start canning them.  I try to can them the day I pick them for the best results.  Obviously, that's not always possible, but I try.

When planning on how many jars you will need based on tomato volume figure 7 large tomatoes will fill one quart jar.

Besides the tomatoes the only other ingredients you will need is lemon juice and salt.  Salt is optional but make sure you don't use iodized table salt . . . you want a salt that doesn't have added ingredients.  




Equipment you will need:


Pressure Canner (I use an AllAmerican model 915). An excellent canner, by the way!
Pint or quart canning jars (quart jars are more economical)
Large spoons and ladles
Lids and Rings
Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
Lid lifter
1 large pot for scalding the tomatoes
1 small pot to sanitize the lids.
Jar funnel




Be sure to sanitize the jars, this removes any fungus and bacteria to prevent spoilage.  You can use the dishwasher for this if you have an extra hot or sanitize cycle, but you can boil them in the canner while your prepping your tomatoes, which is what I usually do.

If you're using the canner, fill the jars with water and place them in the canner.  Then fill the canner with water  until it is over the tops of the jars and bring to a boil.  You will only need about 3 inches of water for the actual canning process but you can dump out the excess water before you put in your filled jars.

Otherwise, fill the canner about half full and bring to a boil.

Put the lids into the small pot of boiling water for at least several minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Put the tomatoes, a few at a time in the boiling water for no more than 1 minute (30 - 45 seconds is usually enough) and them put them into a large bowl of ice water.  This will make removing the skins ridiculously easy.


You want to use the freshest tomatoes you can; preferably unbruised and blemish free but that's in an ideal world.  Just be sure to cut out any bruised and discolored flesh when chopping them for the jars.  You definitely do NOT want rotten or mushy tomatoes!

Once you've removed the skins, cut the tomatoes in halves or quarters . . . making sure to remove any tough, bruised or soft parts.

Fill the sanitized jars withing a 1/4 inch of the top with the tomatoes. After the jar is filled, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice per quart jar, 1 per pint jar.  This helps to reduce the odds of spoilage and to retain color and flavor. Then fill to 1/2 inch of the top with either boiling water or boiling tomato juice.  Add a pinch of salt, if desired.


Release any trapped air bubbles by sliding a flat utensil up and down around the inside edge of the jars.

Wipe the lips of the jar with a clean dry cloth or paper towel. Then put the lids and rings on.  Screw on the rings finger tight only.

Dump out any excess water out of the canner leaving about 3 inches of boiling water.  Put the jars in the pressure canner.  Then put the lid on and screw it down.

Let the canner vent steam for 10 minutes before putting the weight on.  After venting put the weight on and let the canner build pressure.

For a weighted canner, like mine, process both pints and quarts for 15 minutes at 5 pounds of pressure.  Make sure you read the instructions for YOUR canner before using it.

When the processing time is up.  Vent the canner and remove from the heat.  DO NOT remove the lid until the pressure is down to zero.


Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight).  I normally let them sit for at least 12 hours.   You can then remove the rings if you like to reuse.

Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it.

Personally, I don't recommend reprocessing the jars if they haven't sealed because to tomatoes will be smooshy.

The tomatoes will float over the liquid.  This is normal, so don't panic.  You can reduce the amount of liquid in the jar by packing the tomatoes tighter next time.  But, remember, tomatoes are mostly water so you'll always get that water layer.

Finally, store them in a cool, dark place.  Enjoy them all year!

How my garden grows . . . everything's coming up beans!

The beans are coming on full force and I'm lovin' it!  It's interesting.  If I look at the bean plants all I see are leaves and vines.  But if I happen to spot bean pods it's like a window opens up and all I see is bean pods everywhere dripping from every vine.  They are the masters of camouflage   

Today I picked another big batch of beans . . . literally pulling them off the plants by the fistful.  And I have plants that haven't even started growing pods yet but lots of blossoms.  

This is the first year I've grown beans and I have to say that its very rewarding.  They are easy to grow and the really produce.  We have a garden so we can stock our pantry and the bean plants are making an excellent contribution.

This week I managed to empty out my veggie drawer which was stuffed with tomatoes, cucumbers and beans by preserving them.    I canned the tomatoes for sauce, made dilly beans, cucumber pickles and pickled peppers.

Today I filled it right back up again and that's not including the beans.  Additionally, I filled a gallon sized baggy up with those.  Time to whip out the canner again.

Besides the beans, I harvested a pile of tomatoes that were surprisingly unmolested, several cucumbers, a zucchini and one pea pod.

I go to the garden between 5 and 6  in the morning (I have to be to work at 8).  The garden is at the point where I either have time to either pick veggies or weed.  I'd rather have weeds than a garden full of rotting vegetables.  However, I try to pull as many of the most obnoxious ones as I can.

Gardening rocks!

How my garden grows . . . more stuff from the garden

So much of our future lies in preserving our past.

I normally can my tomatoes using the water bath method.  I decided to try pressure canning because . . . well, just because.

You will need about 20 lbs of tomatoes make 7 quarts . . . 7 large tomatoes will fill one quart jar . . . and lemon juice - fresh or bottled (about 1/2 cup)

Make sure you sanitize your jars and lids to prevent mold and fungus contamination which will obviously ruin all your hard work.  Imagine the disappointment when you go for a jar of tomatoes to make a fresh pot of pasta sauce and it’s all yucky. 

The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sanitize" cycle or submerge the jars in a large pot (the canner itself) of water and bring it to a boil. Put the lids into the small pot of boiling water for at least several minutes. 

 

 Fill the canner about 1/2 full of water and start it heating (with the lid loosely on).

Blanch the tomatoes by placing them, a few at a time, in a large pot of boiling water for no more than 1 minute (30 - 45 seconds is usually enough) and then immerse them into a waiting bowl of ice water.  This makes the skins slide right off of the tomatoes!  Then cut the tomatoes in quarters and remove the tough part around the stem and any bruised or soft parts.

Fill the jars with the cut tomatoes to within ¼-inch of the top with the tomatoes.  Using a flat plastic or wood utensil (like a plastic spoon, up side down) free trapped air bubbles by gently sliding it up and down around the inside edge.

Add 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and enough liquid to fill to 1/2 inch of the top of the jar.

Wipe the lip of the jars with a towel dipped in vinegar to keep any contamination from preventing a good seal.

Put the lids and rings on.  Screw them on snugly, not too tight. 

Put the jars in the pressure canner.  Put the lid on and screw it down . . . there should be about 3 inches of boiling water in bottom of the canner . . . do not put the weight on yet

Let the canner vent steam for 10 minutes. Keep the water boiling.

After venting, put the weight on (or close the valve) and let it heat up and build pressure to the pressure for your type of pressure canner.  Mine is 5 pounds.  Then process the jars for 15 minutes

Remember to adjust the time if you are at a different altitude other than sea level!

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight)  You can then remove the rings if you like. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it.

Now, just store them in a cool, dark place and use them as needed over the next year!