Homemade tomato paste
Description
A delicious addition to everyday and festive dishes. I make tomato paste the classic way, using tomato juice. I don't add any spices or seasonings, nor do I use vinegar—it stores perfectly in the cellar. An opened jar must be kept only in the refrigerator and for a short time, as any paste can develop mold when exposed to air. To preserve opened tomato paste, pour a layer of vegetable oil over it and cover with a plastic lid, then place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can portion the opened paste into silicone molds and freeze it—this method is very convenient for storage and use. Use a large pot with a thick bottom for cooking (mine has five layers and nothing burns, I highly recommend it). Just three hours and your natural homemade paste is ready. Perfect served with pasta, meat, and vegetables.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients, wash them thoroughly; I have 5 kg of ripe red plums.
- 2
Step 2
Cut the tomatoes into 4 parts, if small—into 2 parts. Trim off the spoiled parts of the fruits.
- 3
Step 3
Assemble the juicer and attach the tomato juice strainer. Juice all the tomatoes, then pass the pulp through the juicer about 5 times until it comes out almost dry.
- 4
Step 4
Pour the tomato juice into a saucepan (use a slightly larger saucepan than the amount of juice to prevent the foam from overflowing). Bring the juice to a boil.
- 5
Step 5
Boil the tomato paste over medium heat for about 1 hour. It will boil vigorously and bubble, but should not splatter—that's how it should be, so the moisture evaporates quickly. Stir occasionally. I don't remove the foam; it will disappear by the end of cooking. After an hour, you'll notice the liquid has significantly reduced and thickened. Turn the heat down to low and continue cooking for another hour, covering the pot halfway with a lid to prevent splattering while allowing steam to escape. Now stir more frequently to prevent the paste from burning. Reduce until you have 1 liter left. It took me another hour over low heat with gentle boiling.
- 6
Step 6
Sterilize the jars and lids. Fill them with hot paste.
- 7
Step 7
Seal the lids with a key. Wrap the jars in a blanket and leave them warm overnight. In the morning, store them in a pantry or cellar.
- 8
Step 8
Happy preserving!