How to Make Tomato Paste in Sicily

Tomatoes are left to rest for 2 days before being rinsed in cold water.

Cut the tomatoes in half and remove any defects.

Place the tomatoes in a big pot along with bay leaf and onion.

Cook the tomatoes over medium-high heat until they start to break up and release their liquid.

Drain the tomatoes using a makeshift drainer made from a crate and an old tablecloth for about 20 minutes.

Pass the drained tomatoes through a food mill to remove skins and seeds, collecting the pulp in a large container.

Process the tomatoes through the food mill twice to extract as much liquid as possible.

Let the tomato sauce rest overnight in the kitchen.

The next morning, pour the sauce into pitchers for easy distribution onto wooden tables.

Spread the sauce across five wooden tables, leaving a rim of wood to prevent spillage.

Use a metal spoon to create rivulets in the sauce to help the liquid run towards the edges of the tables.

After 2 hours, observe the sauce thickening as it begins to concentrate.

On the second day, reduce the number of tables from five to two as the sauce continues to concentrate.

On the final day, bring out the last bowl of concentrated tomato paste, which has reduced significantly from the original amount.

Allow the tomato paste to rest in the sun for one more day before putting it into jars.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

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Dietary