Nonna's Tomato Sauce

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenNonna's Tomato Sauce

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	20 minutes	Total Time	90 minutes
Servings	2 jars (500 ml) of sauce	Cost Per Serving	$1.25 per jar (500 ml)

20	Ripe Roma or San Marzano Tomatoes, tops removed and quartered
1/2 cup	Fresh Basil
1 tsp	Sea Salt
4	Mason jars with lids,washed and sanitized well

Wash your tomatoes very well and sanitize or boil the mason jars and lids.
Remove the very tops of your tomatoes and quarter them.
Place all your tomatoes in a large pot, add salt and turn heat up to medium high.
Stir tomatoes regularly to prevent any from burning at the bottom.
Bring to a boil and continue to boil for about another 20 minutes until the contents of the pot are mostly liquid.
Pass tomato sauce through a food mill to remove seeds and skins.
Place a few basil leaves into each sanitized mason jar and fill with tomato puree, leaving about 1 inch of space from the top. Place lid on tightly.
This will last in the fridge for up to a week.
For long term preservation, citric acid or a pressure canner may need to be used to ensure that there is no risk of botulism. For proper procedure, please refer to the USDA document on home canning.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for Nonna's tomato sauce

Lycopene is a pigment that gives red fruits their colour. This carotenoid is a powerful antioxidant, with twice the antioxidant activity of beta carotene!
Some research studies suggest that diets high in lycopene are associated with a lower risk of heart disease and some cancers.
Tomatoes are the highest food source of lycopene. Cooked tomatoes contain up to 2.5 times as much lycopene as raw tomatoes.