Passata

Ingredients
• Vine-ripened San Marzano or Roma tomatoes 
Tip: Use tomatoes at their peak – typically from late January to early March. If San Marzano tomatoes are not available, Roma tomatoes are a good substitute. One kilogram of tomatoes makes approximately one 750 ml bottle of passata. 
• Fresh basil leaves, washed and patted dry

Equipment
• Tomato press (manual or electric) 
Tip: A press is the most efficient way to extract juice. 
For large batches, an electric press is recommended.
• Funnel
• Colander or strainer
• Clean tea towels
• Large bowl or container
• 750 ml beer bottles or glass jars, sterilised (see steps below) 
• Bottle caps and capping machine, or tight-fitting lids (if using jars)
• Large stockpot or a drum, suitable for boiling bottles (outdoor fire optional), plus smaller one for lids

Method

1. Sterilise the bottles and lids 
1. Wash thoroughly with hot soapy water, rinse well, and inspect for cracks or chips.
2. Stand jars upright in the large pot. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2.5 cm.
3. Cover and bring the water to a rolling boil. 
4. Boil jars for 10 minutes. 
5. Place the lids in a smaller pot of simmering (not boiling) water for 5 minutes. Avoid boiling to protect the sealing compound.
6. Use tongs or a jar lifter to remove jars. 
7. Place them upside down on a clean towel or drying rack to air dry. Avoid touching the inside of the jars or lids.

2. Prepare the tomatoes
1. Wash tomatoes to remove any dirt.
2. Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 20 to 30 seconds, then scoop out with a colander or strainer. The skins should begin to separate from the flesh.
3. Place tomatoes into a bowl lined with a clean tea towel to drain.

3. Extract the juice
1. Feed the tomatoes through a tomato press to separate the juice from the skins and flesh. Collect the passata in a large bowl or container.
2. Run the leftover skins and pulp through the press a second time to extract as much as possible. Discard the remaining solids

4. Bottle the passata
1. Place a basil leaf into each clean, sterilised bottle or jar.
2. Using a funnel, pour the passata into the bottles, leaving about 4 cm of space at the top. 
3. Seal the bottles with caps using a capping machine, or tightly screw on sterilised jar lids. 

5. Boil the passata
1. Line the bottom of a large pot with a thick tea towel.
2. Lay bottles on their sides in layers, or place jars upright. 
3. Fill the pot with cold water, ensuring the bottles are fully submerged. Slowly bring to the boil.
4. Boil for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat (or put out your fire) and leave the bottles in the pot to cool for 24 hours.
5. Once cool, remove and dry the bottles. Store in a cool, dark place.