Family Style Food

Yield: About ¾ cup
0 Put the tomatoes in a large heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven or soup pot.
2 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.
3 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. 
5 Preheat the oven to 275 (135 C). 
Puree and strain the tomatoes
6 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).
4 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.
7 Bake the tomato paste 30-40 minutes, until the edges look dry and slightly caramelized and the top has a few cracks.
8 Cool 10-15 minutes, then scrape the tomato paste into a sterilized glass jar with a lid.