[finleyfreyaseth]

ive got loads of toms picked about 14lb already using them in my spag bol, eatin raw etc etc wat I was wondering is ive still got loads more to pick and use can I freeze them down in punnets to use for cooking wen I need em?

[mumofstig]

If they come too quickly for me to make into sauces to bottle, then I usually drop them into boiling water for a few minutes so that I can take the skins off and then freeze them in polybag packs of 400g. - the same as a tin of toms, for whatever you fancy 

[finleyfreyaseth]

I leave the skins on wen I use them in spag bol but will I need take skins off  if I freeze them

[mumofstig]

They will separate after freezing anyway, but they will be tougher 

[Growster...]

We just liquidise the whole lot, skins and all, and freeze them in flat bags, so they stack well in the freezer.

The skins go down to nothing, but provide a bit of extra texture when they get used in anything.

This year, we hope never to have to freeze any, as they are so cheap in the shops if tinned!

[suziequeue]

I have a bag for red ones and a bag for green ones in the freezer and we just toss them in as we harvest them.

Then at the end we make a huge batch of passata which keeps beautifully on the shelf all year.

The green tomatoes I try and make into chutney but I'm useless. Maybe this year will be better.

[RJR_38]

Suziequeue, how do you process your passata? I was under the impression you could only bottle things with lots of sugar or vinegar or it would go off?

Being able to make passata I could store in a cupboard would be fantastic as I am running out of freezer space already!

[suziequeue]

We just boil it a lot and make sure the jars are REALLY sterile. We use Kilner jars which we wash at 75 degrees in the dishwasher then into the oven at 110 degrees and then bottle straight from the oven. Lid on straight away.

Although we fill the jars as full as possible, any air gap turns to a vacuum as the contents cool which is also bacteriostatic.

We invariably use the passata for cooking other dishes so it gets heated/boiled again.

We are one the last two jars from 2012. They have sat on the shelf in the pantry until now.

[RJR_38]

Ok, that's interesting. Do you use the clip type with rubber seals or the metal lids/rings? Also do you make 'pure' passata with just tomatoes or do you have onions etc in yours as well (I make both types, boil for ages and liquidize normally)

To be honest with the amount I would make and how often we use it, it would probably only last 4-6 months so not too bad. I am going to investigate this a bit more....

[mumofstig]

The Italians who know a thing or 2 about it always boil their jars of passata and other pasta sauces.

My way to bottle passata (same method for other tomato based sauces, peperonata and  ratatouille) 
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=82201.msg918774#msg918774

[RJR_38]

Thanks for that mum. Looks like I will need to go shopping for some more jars as I only have 8oz ones left... Haha

What size do you use out of interest?

[mumofstig]

I use recycled jam jars or pasta/curry sauce jars that have a dimple in the lid 

I particularly like the Lloyd Grossman jars, they hold a useful amount of sauce for 2 people and fit nicely in my big pan 

[RJR_38]

Ooh - good idea. We always have dolmio jars  from when we make lasagna as I can't be bothered to make the white sauce....

[mumofstig]

Result! 

[suziequeue]

Ok, that's interesting. Do you use the clip type with rubber seals or the metal lids/rings? Also do you make 'pure' passata with just tomatoes or do you have onions etc in yours

We use the metal lids and rings. We keep the rings but always use new metal lids. We just use pure tomatoes in ours. We always mean to put a couple of basil leaves in the bottom but the basil gets processed before we get around to doing the toms.