And they said it couldn't be done! EASY PEASY TOMATO PASTE

Sometimes LAZINESS is the mother of invention... I didn't invent this recipe though, I'm just that lazy. Seemed the tomatoes were coming too fast and I hadn't decided what to make with what yet. I purposely grew all of these Osaka (Roma type) tomatoes to make paste then became disheartened by the stories on the internet of paste disasters and working all day only to have bland watery results.



Then I found a recipe for just drying them in oven and making paste from that. No blanching, shocking, peeling, just cutting and baking. WOWZA someone after my own heart. I printed part of the instructions but then when I stared at it and napped on it noticed I had copied maybe just part of the instructions. In other words doubt set in. Really is this it? Then I couldn't find the original blog it came from to save my life. I swear it's my punishment for teasing the author(s) of Knitspot about having yarn projects, garden pictures, recipes and the progress of one pregnant yarner (no idea if real word) in one post. I know who am I? I am as ADHD as the best of them. But alas went back through all of her summer time posts for 2 or 3 years and couldn't find it. www.knitspot.com ? Was it a fig newton of my imagination?

I finally found it again!!!

http://deniseskitchen.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/the-lazy-girls-guide-to-preserving-tomatoes/
Napped again. Sunday almost over. Oh what the heck what can it hurt but to try, I'd only be sacrificing 40 or so of my lovely's.

Napped one more time. Ok let's do this! And since I don't have enough Osaka's alone we'll throw in the disturbing shaped Cherokee Purples. And forget the seasoning how do I know if I want it sweet or salty or vinegar or lemon juice or olive oil. I'm going for pure tomato substrate! We have a plant, oops I mean plan, maybe I've over slept!

First batch all Osakas

Cherokee Purple

Cherokee Purple

Cherokee purple, hmm, more seeds tougher top, eh? What the heck?

1st batch of 2 trays dry

Sun ripening by back window since I have so little counterspace in my yet to be remodeled kitchen. Don't you love our wallpaper. It's called CertainTeed. Rylie thinks its permanent now.

Chopping with the Beechler knife (better known as Alaskan Ulu) into quarters. Only injury was grazed by bee when dumped tomato juice on compost pile. They love the smell too apparently.

Start off 400 degrees for 30 min then 2 hours at 250 then shut off went to bed or work.

Throw in processor and pureed.



Into the freezer. This batch was 3 baking sheets laid out close not packed. First set tried 2 trays at once and bottom tray few burned so went to one tray at a time. But 2 trays would work at once probably if I would remember to remove pizza stone and adjusted the tray levels.  :-(

Shazam!!! Can you believe it! And it's like super concentrated wham-bam tomato taste. DELICIOUS!!! Better than plain ol tomato paste. Never again listen to the nay sayers unless you nap on it at least 3 times!