I have more uses for this rustic tomato sauce I came up with a few years back than for Hungarian tomato jam [paradicsom lekvár]. Finally it makes no difference if you boil the water away in a slow process or remove it right at the beginning. Either way the tomato’s high water content is removed. The only flavouring I use is flat leaf parsley, that way I can use my tomato sauce in just about any recipe. I finish processing the jars part new world [using lids and caps], part invention: heated in the oven and finally finish them in a warm pack or in a dunszt, the ancient Hungarian way of making sure there is a perfect seal each and every time.
RUSTIC TOMATO SAUCE
8 cups prepared tomatoes [about 5 pounds]1 pack of flat leaf parsley
4 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
3 tsp pickling salt
• Sterilize 4 jars and set aside.
• Fill a large pot with water and bring it to the boil.
• Only use blemish-free, healthy tomatoes.
• Add some tomatoes and continue cooking.
• The tomato skin will first split and then begin to curl up a little. Remove these promptly.
• Peel and core and chop the tomatoes.
• Place the chopped tomatoes in a colander and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Discard the liquid.
• Place 2 cups of tomatoes and some flat leaf parsley in a large pot and bring it to the boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add more tomatoes, 2 cups at the time and continue cooking for 3 minutes after each addition.
• When finally all the tomato is in the pot add the lemon juice and salt.
• Boil hard for 15 minutes, continually stirring.
• Fill the sterilized jars with the tomato sauce.
• Wipe the rims, place on the snap lids and screw on the caps. Check the box and make sure to follow manufacturer’s suggestion for softening the cap seals. In the past we had to boil the caps for 5 minutes to soften the seal. Recently purchased caps had to be heated only with boiling water.
• Place the sealed jars in the oven and process at 220F.
• Prepare a dry pack for the tomatoes: line a basket or a box with tea towels.
• When the bottles are VERY hot, remove from the oven and move them into the prepared dry pack.
• Encase the dry pack into an old quilt or several blankets and leave overnight.
• The following morning the jars will still be warm, but by then they will be completely sealed.
