Tomato sauce (Saltsa domata)

An original recipe from the Sugar House Book, from 1801

3 kg ripe tomatoes, washed

50 g salt

Remove stems from tomatoes and chop coarsely. Place in a large pot, add 2 l of water and the salt and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally so that the sauce does not scorch.

Remove from the heat and press the pulp through a sieve or food mill until only the tomato skins remain. Return the puree to the cooking pot and, if wished, add some nutmeg, basil, oregano, pepper and bay leaves. Or, if you prefer, you can add cinnamon, cloves, ginger, curry, sugar and/or vinegar to make ketchup. Simmer the sauce until thickened. Pour into sterilised jars, seal and turn the jars upside down for at least 30 min. Alternately, the sauce may also be cooled thoroughly and frozen in portions.