Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
6-10 depending on size tomatoes very ripe;
1 Sterilised bottle or an empty long-neck beer bottle with cap. (Wash the bottles well and soak in hot water for several hours.)
Sieve or blender
large pot to hold the bottle
something heavy
funnel
old rags/tea towels
Method
Cooking method: Boiling
Wash tomatoes in warm water to remove any soil or impurities. Slice tomatoes in quarters and squeeze out excess seeds (a few left in won’t hurt). Lay tomatoes in a colander or strainer with a heavy weight on them to squeeze all remaining water out.
Puree the tomatoes in a sieve/blender to your preferred chunky-ness. Begin filling the bottle with sauce. Once full, cap and press, sealed tight. Place bottle in desired pot and cover with cold water and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 1 hour and let cool. When simmering the bottle cover it completely with water, this will sterilize it & seal the cap. Shelf life is 3-4 years in a dark cool place
This sauce is now ready for use and can last in a dark cool place for years.
Use it as you would use any tinned tomatoes a base to pasta sauces and ragu’s.
If you want to flavour your sauce you can add a little fresh basil straight into the bottle before you add the tomatoes.