Preserving Tomato Passata - Fowlers Vacola Method

It's the height of summer, we have had some very hot weather and we are currently harvesting anywhere from 1-3 kilos of tomatoes each day! From 27 plants!

We have been preserving our tomatoes in the fowlers vacola method for 'crushed tomatoes'.

Here is how we do it...

Wash tomatoes, and remove stems and any imperfections.

Place tomatoes (I have to do this in batches) in Thermomix and mix on speed 7 for 5-10 seconds - until completely crushed and smooth.

I leave the skin on and the seeds in. (Grab about 30-40 seeds out first to dry for next years planting though)!

Put your tomato pulp into a large saucepan and add 1.5 teaspoons of salt per 1 litre of sauce.

Boil for 20-30 minutes, it should reduce by about a third.

Place clean seals on vacola jars, and bottle the sauce into warm sterilised jars. (Make sure the jars are warm or they could crack with the heat).

I place a basil leaf in each jar too!

Place on sterilised lids and clips.

Put the jars into the fowlers water bath and add warm water (again warm so they jars don't crack) 2/3's of the way up the bottles.

Set bath for 93 degrees Celsius / 200 degrees Fahrenheit - and leave for 2 hours once temperature has been reached.

Once finished take out and place onto wooden chopping board or towels so they don't crack with the sudden temperature change.

Leave for 48 hours untouched.

Then remove clips and ensure all bottles are sealed.

Store in a cool dark place. They will keep for more than a year but ours never last that long.

When using this sauce I make sure I cook it for at least 15 minutes before consuming.

Hope you enjoy, please feel free to comment on how your family makes 'sauce' or how you preserve your tomatoes.

Buon appetito!