Homemade Local Tomato Paste

Many gardeners face a surplus of ripe tomatoes at the end of summer. After neighbors, family and friends have taken their share, you may still have too many to eat. The solution? Cook tomatoes down to their essence in a paste, and all through the winter you can add their tangy goodness to pasta sauce, soups, stews and even vinaigrettes.

Wash, core and cut at least five pounds of ripe tomatoes into large dice. Place in a heavy pot (enamel-coated cast iron works best), cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes; the tomatoes will have a soupy texture.

Remove lid and continue cooking for about two hours, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot to avoid scorching. Stop when a paste forms, thick enough that as you move it around the pot it does not flow.

Pass the mixture through a medium strainer or food mill. Compost the pulp and store the paste in ice trays before popping them into freezer bags or containers. It will keep frozen for a few months and refrigerated for one month. Yield: Approximately one cup of tomato paste, with a slightly thinner consistency than canned and a much fuller flavor.