Modern Passata Method - bottling tomato puree easily

Spring time is the time to harvest your Roma Tomatoes for making Passata.

 

There is something primeval about gathering and preserving your

tomato crop for the cooler months.

 

I look forward to Spring's first crop so I can enjoy bottling

these gorgeous tomatoes for Passata to last a year.

 

Vibrant, juicy tomatoes bursting with nature's goodness.

 

 Being a busy woman with limited time it seemed sensible

to discard the trusty moulee for a more modern method of preserving tomato sauce.

 

 

 

Out came the JUICER, in went the washed, whole tomatoes.

The tomato juice was captured and the pulp was discarded.

I poured this lovely essential tomato juice into a big saucepan.

 

 

 

Bringing this tomato juice to a boil, I reduced the pan to a high simmer.

Leaving the lid off this mixture, it was simmered for about two hours.

 

 

 

After two hours the mixture had reduced considerably.

Take off the heat and allow to cool to a warm temperature.

 

 

The clean bottles were sterilised by placing in an oven at 150 degrees celsius for 20 minutes.

The lids were placed and left in a bowl of boiling water for 20 minutes.

Let cool until touchable.

 

Then the tomato mixture was poured into a jug to ensure ease

of filling up the sterilised bottles.

 

 

Wrap each bottle in a cloth rag then place horizontally into a large saucepan.

It is okay to place bottles next to and on top of each other

as long as they are surrounded by rags.

Pour warm water over the encased bottles, making sure they are totally covered by water.

 

Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.

Then turn off the heat and leave undisturbed until

the bottles are cool enough to handle (I leave them overnight).

 

 

 

 

Remove from the water bath and store for many wonderful tomato based meals.

Buon appetito, try this easy passata method, Merryn.