Pomarola Semplice
Simple Tomato Pasta Sauce
Makes: approx. 750mL
Now that tomatoes are plentiful, put some work in now to bottle your own stir-through pasta sauce ready to serve over cooked pasta. It has a lovely fresh tomato sauce flavour. Use it also as a sauce base and add sautéed vegetables for a vegetarian pasta dish.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1.2kg ripe fresh tomatoes, chopped
- Approx. 12 basil leaves, torn
- Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
1. Put the garlic and olive oil into a saucepan on medium heat. When the garlic begins to sizzle (but not brown), add the tomatoes. Season with a teaspoon of salt and a little pepper.
2. When the tomatoes begin to boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes (this is dependent on how much water the tomatoes contain). Break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and cook until the tomatoes have melted into a thick, smooth sauce. Take care not to dry out the sauce – it should have a thick, soft consistency.
3. Blend the sauce through a food mill or puree with a stick blender. Add the basil once blended and stir through.
4. Pour the sauce into clean jars, screw lid on tightly and process in a hot water bath as described below
HOT WATER BATH PRESERVING METHOD
- Place a thick tea towel on the bottom and the sides of a stockpot or large pot and place the filled jars in so they are tightly packed. If not, place some cardboard or more tea towels between the jars so they don’t knock against each other. If you can fit more than one layer, put a cushioning barrier between the layers o fjars.
- Fill the stockpot with cool water (if the sauce is now cold) or warm water (if the sauce is still hot) and slowly bring to just below the boil.
- Once at this temperature, keep it simmering gently for 20-30 minutes (for jars up to 375mL); 30-40 minutes (for jars up to 750mL) or 60 minutes for larger jars; and then turn off the heat.
- Allow to cool in this preserving pot and once the water has cooled enough to handle the jars, remove and store in a cool, dark, dry place.
NOTE: once opened, use it all at once, or freeze any leftover sauce if you don’t use it all.