[Lardman]

I've spend the last couple of hours pushing tomato pulp through a sieve to separate seeds and skin - someone please tell me there's a better way.   

The results are a silky smooth tomato juice - but frankly life really is too short 

[Mother-Hen]

I grow a lot of toms and make my own passata and base sauce, the thing that I use is call a Tomatopress Velox and I wouldn't be without it. It takes the seeds and skin away just leaving the pulp behind.

Hope this is of help?

[mumofstig]

Seeds of Italy sell a passata machine 

http://www.seedsofitaly.com/PASSATA_MACHINE_PASSA_POMODORO_uk_only/p1834925_8313432.aspx

[jaydig]

I just pour boiling water over the toms and leave them for a few minutes, drain and put into cold water, then skin them. I only poke out the seeds with my fingers, and then roughly chop them before making the soup. When the soup is cooked I blitz it in the pan with a stick blender, and most of any remaining seeds are mashed to nothing. I don't bother to sieve it, because it's always smooth enough after using the blender. It's the best little piece of kitchen equipment I've bought recently, and worth every penny. If you like a bit of a tang to your tomato soup put 200ml of white wine vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of sugar into a saucepan, then bring to the boil, and boil until reduced by half. Add chopped basil leaves to taste for the last minute or so. Strain this, and add it to the soup a little at a time until you get the flavour you want. It really 'wakes up' the soup.

[Mother-Hen]

That's the one mum, really handy at this time of year,.
No waste either as all the skin and pips go into the compost.

[GrannieAnnie]

Seeds of Italy sell a passata machine 

http://www.seedsofitaly.com/PASSATA_MACHINE_PASSA_POMODORO_uk_only/p1834925_8313432.aspx

I've got one of these.  It is good, but when I am feeling lazy, everything goes into my tomato soup an gets blitzed!  even the skins!

[Lardman]

BAD Mother-hen and MoS ... suggesting I buy yet another kitchen gadget    Does it actually do what it says it can ? I'm not sure this years harvest justifies buying one but next years might 

Do you bottle it or freeze it when you've made the passata ?

I've got one of these.  It is good, but when I am feeling lazy, everything goes into my tomato soup an gets blitzed!  even the skins!

Which is what I'd been doing Grannie but I've had complaints again In fairness I haven't been growing plum tomatoes and it's been made mainly from cherry toms so there's a lot of skin.

[RJR_38]

Do you put the tomatoes in raw and then cook etc or do you cook first? Sorry if that seems a silly question....

[mumofstig]

Either blanching or completely cooking before putting through the mill, seems to work best.

[RJR_38]

Thanks

[GrannieAnnie]

I usually roast them before putting them through the machine.  Better taste, and either bottle, or freeze.  Sometimes I just bottle or freeze the passata, or make up the soups and sauces with them, then freeze!

[devonbarmygardener]

Now if there's a gadget I've wanted for a long time,  it's a passata maker!