Homemade Tomato Paste
Homemade tomato paste is a pot of tomato pulp cooked down until it is thick enough to hold a spoon upright. Sweet red bell pepper and a little salt are the only additions, so the flavor stays plainly of tomato. The long, slow reduction does the work, and repeated passes through a food mill, coarse grid to fine, give a smooth texture without fighting a sieve. Jarred in small portions, it keeps for months.
Instructions
Put the tomato pulp, chopped red bell peppers and salt in a large, wide stockpot. Cover it and cook over low heat for an hour.
Pass the mixture through a food mill several times, starting with the coarsest grid and moving to the finest. This is faster than forcing the pulp through a fine sieve in one pass.
Return the pot to the stove and heat the purée uncovered over very low heat for 3 hours or more. Stir often so it does not burn, and set the pot on a heat diffusing mat or trivet. It is done when the paste is very thick. A double boiler prevents scorching but takes longer.
Check new ½-pint preserving jars closely for chips or cracks, discard any that are damaged, and sterilize the rest. Fill them with the hot paste, leaving ¼-inch of space at the top, then cover with new seals and screw on the lids securely but not too tightly.
Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 45 minutes. Lift them out with tongs and let them cool for 12 hours on an inverted oven rack.
Press the centre of each lid with your forefinger to test the seal. If the inner lid does not move, remove the outer ring. Store the jars in a cool, dry, dark place.
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