Tomatoes are at their peak at the Napa Farmers Market.
The Napa Farmers Market now has an abundance of beautiful tomatoes in all different sizes, shapes and colors. September is canning season for me, so I’m looking for plum tomatoes (also called paste tomatoes) to make a few batches of basic tomato sauce for use all winter.
Except for the salt and pepper, and the lemon juice or citric acid, I can find all the ingredients at the market. The Patch, Tu Universo, Esquivel and J&M Ibarra have the tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots and celery that I need. Atlas Peak Olive Oil and Long Meadow Ranch have local extra-virgin olive oil.
Popular paste tomato varieties include Roma, Amish Paste, Big Mama and San Marzano. They have different names but the same characteristics. They are all red and oval or cylindrical. What makes them so desirable for canning, compared to other tomatoes, is that they have far fewer seeds and a lower water content. The term “meaty” describes paste tomatoes well.
You can substitute heirloom slicing tomatoes for this sauce, but because of their higher water content they will take longer to cook down. They are also less meaty so you will need more tomatoes by weight.
My basic tomato sauce recipe calls for primarily paste tomatoes, but if I have any slicing tomatoes just sitting around, they will find their way into the sauce.
Basic Tomato Sauce is the starting point for many a dish at my house and also for some of my favorite canning recipes, including pizza sauce, marinara sauce and tomato soup.
For pizza sauce, I add ½ cup tomato paste, a pinch of chili flakes, and 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar, fennel seeds, dried basil and dried oregano.
For marinara sauce, I add 2 tablespoons dried basil, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, a pinch of chili flakes and 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar.
For tomato soup, I add a pinch of chili flakes, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 cup chicken stock and ½ teaspoon dried porcini powder. At serving time, I like to add a cup or so of half-and-half to give the soup a bit of richness.
I can my Basic Tomato Sauce in both pint and half-pint jars because different recipes require different amounts. Basic Tomato Sauce is perfect for adding to soup, stew or chili. I like to use it with sauteed mushrooms from Far West Fungi as a topping for polenta.
If you don’t can pizza sauce, marinara sauce or tomato soup, you can make them as you need them by adding the missing ingredients to a jar of Basic Tomato Sauce.
I have thought about making tomato paste from my Basic Tomato Sauce. All I would need to do is to reduce the sauce on the stovetop or in a microwave until it is thick. I have a few quarts of processed tomatoes in the refrigerator so maybe now is the time to try it.
The most common canning method for tomatoes is the boiling-water method, in use since the 1840s. The procedure calls for minimal equipment and hasn’t changed much over the years. You need canning jars, a water-bath canner with rack, a jar lifter and a wide-mouth funnel. You can re-use canning jars and metal rings, but the lids must be new.
Safe canning is a science, so be sure to consult the website of the National Center for Home Food Preservation http://nchfp.uga.edu/ if you have any canning questions.
I hope I’ve piqued your interest in making my Basic Tomato Sauce. You’ll find almost everything you need at the Napa Farmers Market.
David Layland’s Basic Tomato Sauce
20 to 25 pounds ripe red paste tomatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped (no need to peel)
2 large celery stalks, including leaves, finely chopped
2 to 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bottled lemon juice or citric acid
Working in batches, quarter the tomatoes and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 20 minutes. Stir, return to the microwave and cook on high for another 20 minutes.
Strain the tomatoes in a colander in the sink, discarding the liquid. Pass the tomatoes through a strainer or food mill to remove the skins and seeds. You should have about 4 quarts.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree and simmer until the sauce reaches the desired consistency, 1 to 2 hours. Stir frequently to avoid burning. If desired, puree in a blender or with an immersion blender to make a smoother sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
If you are canning the sauce, add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon citric acid to each sterilized pint jar. Fill with hot tomato sauce to within ½ inch of the rim. Add the new cap and secure with a metal band. Follow standard canning procedures and process in a boiling-water bath for 15 minutes. Lift the jars out with jar lifters onto a rack and let cool without moving them until they seal.
Makes 6 to 7 pints.
David Layland is past president of the Napa Farmers Market.
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You can also donate to the Napa Farmers Market by making your Amazon purchases through Amazon Smile. When you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. Every item on Amazon is available on AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com) at the same price. Designate the Downtown Napa Farmers Market Corporation as your charity of choice, and .5% of your purchase will be credited to the Napa Farmers Market.
Until further notice, find the Napa Farmers Market at 1100 West St., site of the former Cinedome Theater. Hours are Tuesdays and Saturdays, 8 to 9 a.m. for seniors only (65 and older); then 9:00 a. m. to noon. As a California Certified Farmer’s Market, the market is considered an essential food business and will remain open during the Napa County Shelter at Home Order. Check www.napafarmersmarket.org for updates.
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