Pasta Sauce

I was asking by Facebook friends for a Pasta Sauce recipe for canning.  My neighbor gave me this recipe a few years ago and it has worked and we really like it.  I use it in everything that calls for pasta sauce.  Although, my neighbor would say it's not great for pizza and she has a different recipe.  I just don't want to embark on too many tomato things.  Tomatoes are a lot of work!

I'm not a photographer, so there will not be pictures of me making said sauce.  And, I'm not planning on making it until later this week.  But, here is the recipe I use, with a few tips.

Pasta sauce
I combine 1 basket of tomatoes (1/2 a bushel) with 4 medium onions, 4 peppers, 1 rib of celery and 4 tablespoons of salt in a large stockpot and cook until veggies are soft, about 1 hour.  You don't need to add much water, maybe 1/3 of the pot.  The tomatoes will  add water as they cook. The veggies are washed and quartered.  That's it!

Then I have this Victorio Food Strainer that I dump everything in the funnel, turn the handle and the waste (seeds, skin, etc) goes out the side and the juices, meat and good stuff goes out the strainer.  The girls love to turn the handle and push the cooked veggies through the funnel.  (I also use the strainer for apple sauce, grape juice and pumpkin.)

Then I let the mixture sit. For about an hour.  Tomatoes contain a lot of water and it should be "dipped" off the top of the juice or the sauce will not thicken.   Be careful not to stir or move the pot while you dip.  The juice and water will mix and you will need to wait again until they separate.   (I think my neighbor said she dips the water off before she runs it through the strainer. Either way takes patience.)

Then I add:
2 tables of oregano
3 tablespoons of Basil
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
3 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic power
6 bay leaves
2 - 12 oz cans of tomato paste

I cook this for 30 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves and add up to 1 cup of Clear Gel or similar thickener.  I cook that until it thickens.  Place in jars and seal.  I don't put in a hot bath, because the pasta sauce is already cooked, hot and bubbling and it seals the jars almost as soon as the lids and rings are put on.  But, you can process in hot water for 15 minutes if you feel better about that.

I then treat my pasta sauce like gold, 'cause it took me all day to make it and I'm not a very patient person.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!