Passata di Pomodoro | How to can Tomatoes at home.

Wash in hot water with dishwashing soap and a tablespoon of baking soda. Rinse well and place in a large pot filled with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. Remove and place on rack to dry.

Make sure the tomatoes are ripe and a deep red in color. The riper they are the sweeter they’ll be. Rinse in cold water.

Soak your basil in cold water and dry with paper towel.

Slice tomatoes in half and remove the inner part that tends to be green or white.

Place in a large pot with a full stem of basil.

Bring to a boil and stir constantly to avoid sticking to the bottom. I cooked mine about an hour and half. It really depends on how watery the tomatoes are.

Remove the basil stem. Strain using a strainer, bring back to a boil and add salt.

In each jar add a few basil leaves. Fill with hot sauce. Place seal and give it a good tight turn.

In a large pot filled with warm water assemble the filled jars and use kitchen towels (mappin) in between to avoid jars banging together as they boil. This can cause them to break. Water should cover all the jars. Bring to a boil and time 45 minutes from boiling point.

You can leave them in water until completely cooked or remove them and place them flat in a blanket until completely cool. Store in a cool dry place.

Enjoy and share with family and friends. Buon appetito!