Thick, Rich Homemade Tomato Paste
Serves 12
10 mins prep
90 mins cook
100 mins total
An easy recipe for thick, smooth tomato paste made from scratch! Preserve fresh garden tomatoes or use canned tomatoes to make this basic pantry essential. Homemade tomato paste keeps perfectly for up to a month in the fridge and even longer in the freezer.
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Yield: About ¾ cup
Put the tomatoes in a large heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven or soup pot.
Bring to a simmer (not a raging boil) over medium-high heat. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice to be sure the tomatoes aren't sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Lower the heat to medium-low or low, depending on your stove, adjusted to maintain a slow bubble. Cook uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very thick and a spoon scraped along the bottom of the pan makes a clear path. The tomatoes should be reduced to about 1 cup, and most of the liquid will be evaporated.
Preheat the oven to 275 (135 C).
Puree and strain the tomatoes
Using a food mill: Insert the finest disc and set the food mill over a medium bowl. Transfer the tomatoes to the food mill. Turn the crank until the tomatoes are pureed, leaving just the seeds, skins and other solids behind.
Using a mesh colander: Put the tomatoes in a fine-mesh colander set over a bowl. Use a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon to push the tomatoes through the colander. Discard the seeds (or compost them).
Line a small rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment. You can also use a shallow 1-quart Pyrex baking dish and skip the parchment paper. Spread the tomato puree in an even layer over the bottom of the pan.
Bake the tomato paste 30-40 minutes, until the edges look dry and slightly caramelized and the top has a few cracks.
Cool 10-15 minutes, then scrape the tomato paste into a sterilized glass jar with a lid.
