Chilli tomato passata

Made yesterday.  It's an idea: amounts are variable!  I have no idea whether it should be called a passata but never mind.

One comment:  because the first chilli I used seemed mild, I bunged in two and didn't seed them.  Er - let's just say next time I will take out the seeds!!!!!

I used:
Loads of flavoursome tomatoes.  Enough to fill a good sized roasting dish.  Cut into wodges and cut out any 'bad bits' but keep the cores, etc, for flavour.
2 medium onions, peeled and chunked
some celery, cut into chunks
olive oil - it's a slow roasting thing so OO is fine.
2 bay leaves, torn into bits
some dried mixed herbs (or whatever from the garden)
Some garlic.
2 chillies
a good pinch of sugar
a sloosh of balsamic vinegar
some sea salt

(and anything else you fancy - if I had some wine I would add some, but I don't)

Put the lot in a good sized roasting dish and stir around until everything is coated with the oil.
Place in a show oven and roast until all soft and gooey.  Cover with foil if necessary.

Push through a fine sieve or mouli.  Check seasonings and adjust.  Freeze in sensible sized portions (or use straight away because it may be very hot the way I made it but it is so gorgeous!)

Passata

. . . or 'what I made with zillions of tomatoes'.

All that's needed is a good glug of olive oil (not EVOO though) and your tomatoes.

Put both in a large pan and heat.  Cover and zizzle slowly (juice comes out so after a while it is simmering really) for a while.

Then push first through a mouli to get the big bits out and then through a fine mesh sieve to remove the remaining little seeds (it's surprising how many there are).

That's it.  I will season at point of using with whatever I want.  For now it's going into the freezer.  It looks and tastes great. Just tomato, home grown and flavoursome.


(with thanks to Diane for the info)