I made my 2015 batch of tomato paste before I started this blog, so there is no post chronicling my making it. However, I do have some pictures from when I made pizza sauce and since the basic process is the same, I thought I would create a page to show you how easy it is to make your own tomato paste.
Roma or paste type tomatoes are best for this, obviously, with their reduced moisture content and thicker, fleshier walls, but any type of fully ripe tomatoes can be used.
Start by washing the tomatoes and remove any stems and calyxes.
Use a good sharp knife and cut the smaller tomatoes in half, quartering the large ones. Trim off any blemishes.
Cover the bottom of a large, heavy pot with the chopped tomatoes and heat to boiling. Use a spoon or potato masher to squash the tomatoes and release their juice. You may want to start with a small splash of water in the bottom of the pot to stop the tomatoes from burning until enough juice has been released. Gradually add more chopped tomatoes allowing the pot to return to a full boil after each addition before adding more. Keep stirring to prevent scorching.
What we are doing here is neutralizing an enzyme that occurs naturally in tomatoes which starts breaking down their pectin when they are cut, causing them to release their water. If we made sauce without pre-boiling them like this, the sauce would separate, looking like it was curdled. It would still be tasty and totally edible, but it wouldn't have a nice smooth saucy texture. Plus, pre-boiling softens the tomatoes up for putting through a food mill or sieve.
If you make a lot of tomato sauce, paste, applesauce etc. you may want to consider investing in a tomato mill, such as this one:
from Lee Valley. It's a quick and easy way to make sauce while separating out the skins and seeds.
There are several ways of creating tomato paste from tomato sauce. One way is to just keep the sauce simmering on low heat for many hours, stirring occasionally until the desired thickness is reached. A slightly quicker way is to pour the tomato sauce into a large, wide roasting pan and place in a 250F oven. This is the method I used and although it freed up the stovetop, it did take over 12 hours in the oven. However, it added a lovely roasted sweetness to the finished paste. A third method, which I think I will try next time is to put the tomato sauce into a slow cooker, prop the lid open with a chopstick or wooden spoon to let steam and moisture escape and leave it on low overnight or longer until the desired thickness is achieved. I like the idea that you're not using either the stovetop nor the oven and you can basically walk away from it, checking it and stirring every few hours or so.
The recipe I used is this one on the Bernardin website. The taste is absolutely amazing. It's SO much better than store-bought and will bring everything you make with it up to the next level. Try it once and you'll be hooked for sure! Make yourself a big batch, can it in small 125ml jars and you will be set for the winter.
