The tomatoes are producing faster than I can keep up with them. This is one day's worth; I pick them slightly underripe and then place them on the island to ripen for two days. Then it is time to make them into sauce.
They are all washed and ready to roast. On this day, I decided to make pizza sauce for the pantry.
First, I cut the end of the tomato off and then slice each one in half. I lined a large cookie sheet pan with parchment paper beforehand. This helps to keep the tray cleaner than without using one. I roast them in the oven at 450°F. for 30 minutes or until the skins have all blistered.
I saute' chopped garlic, onions and peppers in a large stockpot for the pizza sauce. Once the tomatoes are cooled down, I remove the skins and puree the tomatoes in the blender. It doesn't take long to cook down the sauce to make a nice thick one.
Once that is done, I jar them up in pint sized Mason jars, add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice for acidity, and process in the water bath canner for 30 minutes.
One large tray of roasted tomatoes averages 7-8 pints of pizza sauce. I can also use this sauce for a Marinara with pasta as well as for pizza nights. To date I have processed three batches for the pantry shelf and my tomato plants are still loaded with fruit.
Check out the size of this Super Sauce F1 hybrid tomato. Weighing in at 1.43 lbs. It is a beauty. This was the tomato that I made the BLT's with for dinner that night.
Prepped and ready to go for a quick dinner after processing that island full of tomatoes.
Dinner couldn't be any better than enjoying your first "BLT" for the summer. Look at how juicy and ripe that large tomato was. Can you taste the sweetness?
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I cut up some cherry tomatoes and a cucumber, threw some French fries into the oven and dinner was ready in no time.
It was such a beautiful afternoon, that we decided to eat outside on the porch.
It's funny that we used to eat a lot on the porch, but this was the first time this summer.
I have to admit that that tomato was so delicious and will be one that I grow every year from now on. It was perfection! Happy harvesting everyone!
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