At the end of the summer, there is an unmissable event that includes heart, strength, pots, vegetable mills, and jars. Yes, it’s time for the tomato puree, the thick and fragrant red sauce that, when it is winter, will remind me of the summer sun. There is no preserve capable of bringing more joy than that of tomato. Which is worth all the work necessary to prepare it. Because, let’s get things straight: it won’t be quick; it will take time, effort, and enthusiasm. You don’t want to waste them by ruining everything with trademark mistakes, do you? Five mistakes to avoid when preparing tomato puree at home: how to cut tomatoes, times, and precautions to preserve it in jars best. These suggestions are more practical and less gastronomical.
Here are the 5 mistakes to avoid for a perfect tomato puree know as passata (please memorize the word, it will impress your mother in law)
- Don’t be afraid of times and quantities
You will have to dedicate roughly a day to the preparation of the passata. I advise you not to make any commitments for your “pummarola day.” Because, once you get into it, you might as well do a big batch, with at least a box of tomatoes, or two or three if you are workaholic. Better if you have a brigade of efficient and reliable collaborators: wives, husbands, boyfriends. Children are great, and they learn a tradition while helping. Grandmothers and aunts will surely know a lot: there is always something to learn about the past! I’ll share my version knowing that there will be dozens of others, similar or completely different. It is is the particularity of traditions. If this is the first time for you and you have no idea of the quantities and how many jars you will need, do not panic. I get about 24 jars -16 ounces, each with 20 pounds of tomatoes, more or less. If you use one glass jar during the winter and add some good (2 tablespoons) tomato paste, you’ll feed four lucky eaters.
- Go for the subtle
The puree will go through the vegetable mill. I wash and roughly cut up the tomatoes without worrying about removing skins and seeds. The vegetable mill disc will do that. So, put all the cut-ups in one or more containers. I generally add one (1) sizeable whole onion, every 8 pounds of tomatoes. Then add one tablespoon of coarse salt every five pounds (a little, you can always correct it later). You don’t have to use vegetables at all. Some folks add celery, carrots, garlic, and other stuff. The simpler, the better, because it gives you versatility in future use depending on the recipe. Once you prepared, the pots put the lid on and begin the cooking over low heat, often stirring with a long and sturdy wooden spoon (no metal, please). I can’t give you precise times (they depend on the pots’ quantity and size). The tomatoes are ready to puree when the skins easily detach from the pulp.
- Think it will be easy
Passing the tomatoes requires elbow grease. The best equipped will not fail. If you own an electric vegetable mill, the task will be much simpler. I am inclined to think that you may have the manual version, and if so, roll up your sleeves and rock & roll the blade. In any case, the technique does not change. I transfer the tomatoes and the onions ladleful at a time in the vegetable mill, collecting the rich juice in a large bowl. The only discriminating factor, in this phase, is the disc: with large holes, if you want a more rustic result, or small ones, for a more refined texture.
With a spatula, collect the remains attached under the disc and insist on pushing every pulpy part well under the blade to extract all the good. When only the skins and seeds visible in your instrument, empty it and start again with a new tomato load. Once you have reached this point, you just have to pour the puree back into the cooking pots and let it thicken a little more, always over low heat, without a lid for about half-hour. The simmering will enrich the fresh taste.
You can, if you like, taste and adjust the flavors little with salt at this stage. The second simmer removes water from the puree. Sometimes the supplier sells watery tomatoes, and you don’t want to have a juice rather than a passata after working all day. If that happens, you can fix it by adding a double concentrate tomato paste to the boiling liquid. Continue the boiling process and check the thickness you desire. If you are happy with the result, add whole basil leaves, but that’s not imperative.
- Clean the edges
If you made to here, you are my hero. The time has finally come to transfer the puree into the jars, which have to be incredibly clean and sterilized. At this stage, precision is strictly required: the imperative is to hit the mark. Dirtying the jars’ rim can mean an incorrect closure of the caps, which would irremediably compromise conservation. To help you put in pots without spilling out even a drop of sauce, you just need a ladle with a spout and a large funnel, suitable for preserves.
In addition to the usual recommendation not to overfill the jars (stop at a couple of fingers from the edge), I also suggest you do not over-tighten the screw caps. Caps need to be brand new every time to ensure the capsules’ hermetic seal. Therefore friends: no old jars of jam or olives, even if they seem in perfect condition. Similarly, if you use jars with spring lids, carefully check that the seals are elastic and not cracked and, if necessary, buy new ones.
The time has come to pasteurize the passata (puree). I wrap each jar in a strip of fabric, made from an old towel, or anything willing to discard. Then, off to a large enough the pot, filled with cold water, reaching 1-inch above rims. Once boiling reached, simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Turn off the heat and let jars cool in the water. Remove jars one at a time, wipe dry, check the caps “hold” when pressed in the center ( it must not click), and store in the pantry or a cool area of about 50 F.
- Don’t be in a hurry
You can use your passata the day after, or wait for those harsh winter days. If you have any passata left on the pan that did not fit into the jars, boil some spaghetti and give your masterpiece a try. Its probably very good, and it will be decisively better from October onward. A blazing fireplace and frosted windows will entice you to open a jar of passata. Drizzle some quality olive oil, maybe a few fresh basils leave if possible, and you will think of this article. If that happens, we all win.
