Calabrian traditions: how to make the tomato sauce
Tomato sauce is a very popular preserve that is usually prepared at the end of summer, especially in Calabria, although it is now characteristic of all southern regions.
Making it is really easy, just follow carefully all the steps and rules to prepare an excellent preserve, ideal for different preparations and to enjoy all year round.
The recommended tomatoes are San Marzano, which must be ripe. Once blanched in water, they must be passed through a vegetable mill to remove the peel. The resulting sauce should then be reduced to a pot and decanted into sterilized jars (or bottles), with the addition of basil. Finally, there is the heat treatment for storage: the jars will be placed in a large pot, covered with water and boiled for about 40 minutes.
How to make the tomato sauce
Check all the tomatoes and remove the rotten ones or those with dents, remove the petioles, wash them and let them drain. Cut them in half and release the seeds. Cook them in a pot with high edges, just enough time to blanch them, turning them from time to time until they become soft. Once they are ready, pass them with the vegetable sieve, placing it on a steel pot. If the tomato is too liquid, thicken it over the heat until it has reached the desired consistency.
Pour the tomato sauce into the previously sanitized jars, adding a basil leaf to the bottom. To do this use a funnel, then close the jars.
Place the jars in a large pot with water, placing cotton cloths between the jars to prevent them from bumping into each other and cook for 30/40 minutes after boiling. When the jars have cooled, remove them from the pot and check that the cap is concave, a sign that the sauce is stored under vacuum. Keep the jars with the tomato sauce in a cool place and away from the light, using it as needed for different preparations.
