Canning Polpa di Pomodori

In this video, I show you another way Italians can tomatoes at the end of summer. This method can be done with any type of tomato. Here I am using an Italian tomato I grew called “Datterini”. They are a small variety of tomato that are very tender and sweet. There is no specific recipe to follow, just a process. I will walk you through the process in the video and outline them below.

Sanitize the Jars
The first thing you want to do before you begin canning is to sanitize the jars. This can be easily be done by boiling the jars and lids for 30 minutes.

Wash and cut the Tomatoes
Make sure to wash the tomatoes thoroughly before canning, removing any and all dirt or impurities. Then cut the top off and cut the tomatoes into pieces. In my case, because they are small, I am cutting them in half.

Make the Puree
Optionally, I have decided to add fresh tomato puree to this jar. This is not a necessary step but I like to have it in there when I use this type of sauce for a recipe. Make a cross cut on the bottom of each tomato. Blanch the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them and letting them sit for 3-4 minutes. Peel the skin off and cut into chunks. Run the tomatoes through a food mill to remove the seeds.

Canning the Tomatoes
To the bottom of a mason jar, add 2-3 basil leaves. Add the cut up tomatoes and using the handle of a wooden spoon press the tomatoes down making sure there are no air pockets. Continue to do this until you have reached within 1 inch of the top of the jar. Now pour some tomato puree in and using the handle of the wooden spoon press down to get the puree down into the jar. Top the jar off with tomato puree and place the top on.

Sealing the Jar
Place the jars on a rack in a large pot and fill the pot with water until the jars are submerged. Bring the water to a light simmer and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool and store the jars in a cool, dark place until ready to use. These jars have a year or longer shelf life as long as they remain sealed.