Easy fabulous home-made tomato paste recipe

[Prairie Farmer]

Hi!  I grow most of my own food and I've been making this fabulous tomato paste recipe for years now. I found this because no way I was gonna spend hours over a big pot of tomatoes, peeling skins, seeding, etc, and what not to make some fabulous sauce.  too much time!  But I would end up with piles and piles of tomatoes we didn't get eaten and needed to be used up.  

 

This recipe is easy and quick and leaves you with a paste that is so incredibly tasty and can be used in a million things.   Just started on Whole30 put realized it is compliant so thought I'd share.  It can be hard to find tomato sauce that doesn't have any added sugar in it!  Not to mention, this paste is better than anything I've ever store bought anyways! 

 

So whenever you have a big patch of very ripe tomatoes (like almost ready to go south) is a good time to do this.  If you use GREAT tomatoes it will taste GREAT!  By this I mean heirloom varieties and ideally paste type tomatoes, San Marzano's are incredible in this recipe. But really, any very ripe tomato will work and I often times use many types of tomatoes when I make it as I grow many different varieties. 

 

Slice the tomatoes into slices about 1/2 inch thick.  Spread in single layer on a cooking/baking sheet.  Sprinkle on whatever herbs sound good - I usually use Italian season.  Break up some bulbs of garlic and throw those on top (no need to peel the cloves).  A little kosher or sea salt.  Then I typically use olive oil, drizzled over the top, maybe about 1/4 cup full (never measure anything). 

 

Bake in oven at 400 degrees about 45 minutes or so.  Check often.  the tomatoes should look cooked and shrinking and maybe even a little bit browned/blackened on edges.  Garlic cloves should be soft.  

 

Now the hardest part, you'll need a food mill for this.  We have a handy dandy hand crank food mill that fits onto of a stainless steel bowl.  Put a couple scoops of your tomato mixture into the mill and mill it.  This will squeeze out this amazing thick paste and leave skins, seeds, etc on the top.  It takes me maybe 10 minutes per cookie sheet to put it all through the mill.  

 

When you're all done, you can leave it just like that, or I like to add just a touch of orange juice for a little brightening effect.  It is very thick, sweet and rich, good as a paste for anything that requires that.  Or, to make a sauce you simply can add a liquid.  Vegetable or meat broth would work fine.  If you are "post Whole30" and using some dairy, milk or cream is always incredible!  I haven't tried it with coconut cream, that might be a strange flavor.  Or, on the other hand, might be quite tasty!  But I think using vegetable or meat broth will work just dandy as well. 

 

When all finished I freeze by putting about 5 or 6 tablespoonfuls worth into a small, snack size, ziplock bag.  I like to freeze it in small portions because it is so thick and can go a long ways - can always use two if I need more!  One cookie sheet worth will probably give you about 3 to 4 bags worth or so.