Passata di pomodoro
Bottled tomato purée
Passata di pomodoro: Italy's late-summer homemade bottled tomato purée
At the end of August, all over southern and central Italy, families gather for the "giornata della salsa", the day of the sauce: crates of ripe plum tomatoes are washed, cooked, passed through a hand-cranked mill and bottled in hundreds, with a basil leaf in each bottle. The passata lasts until the next summer and is used for every ragù and pizza. For home bottling, add lemon juice to each jar and process in a water bath, as tomatoes alone are not acidic enough to be safe at room temperature. Chef's tip: use only fully ripe, deep red plum tomatoes; underripe tomatoes give a pale, sour passata.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 11 lb ripe plum tomatoes
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 bunch basil
- 12 tbsp bottled lemon juice1 tbsp per 500 ml jar
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Wash 11 lb ripe plum tomatoes, cut out the stalk ends and cut into quarters. Put them in a large pan over a medium heat, cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring, until soft and broken down.
20 minStep 3: Sterilise 12 × 500 ml jars and lids. Put 1 tablespoon of 12 tbsp bottled lemon juice and a leaf of 1 bunch basil in each jar.
Step 4: Fill the jars with the hot passata, leaving 1.5 cm at the top. Wipe the rims and close tightly.
Step 5: Put the jars on a rack in a large pan, cover with water by 3 cm, bring to the boil and boil for 40 minutes. Common mistake: skipping the water bath or the acid; unprocessed passata is not safe to store at room temperature.
40 minStep 6: Leave to cool in the water. Check the lids have sealed (they shouldn't pop when pressed). Store in a cool, dark place for up to a year; once opened, keep in the fridge and use within 5 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 40 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does passata di pomodoro take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ripe plum tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of bottled lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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