Tomato sauce with basil prepared for the winter will be an indispensable addition to pizza, meat and fish dishes, stewed and fried vegetables, as well as pasta. Spicy and aromatic, it will advantageously emphasize the taste benefits of any treat. The proposed recipes and recommendations will allow you to independently create a delicious alternative to store-bought sauces and ketchups.
Features of preparing tomato sauce with basil
In winter, the need for vitamins is especially acute, but buying fresh vegetables and fruits is problematic. Preparing tasty and healthy preserves is the optimal solution to the problem. Strict adherence to the recipe for tomato sauce with basil and the technology of its preparation allows you to fully preserve the vitamin and mineral set inherent in fresh, juicy vegetables.
To make this Italian sauce as healthy and tasty as possible, you must:
- choose the highest quality fresh and ripe vegetables without nitrates and other harmful substances (preferably grown on your own plot or purchased from trusted places);
- use exclusively sterilized containers for preservation;
- follow the recipe exactly;
- additionally use citric acid or vinegar (apple or wine vinegar can be used) to increase the storage period of the prepared sauce;
- To preserve the maximum beneficial properties of vegetables, do not subject them to very long heat treatment.
Required Ingredients
For Italian tomato and basil sauce according to the classic recipe, you need to prepare the following components:
- 3.5 kilograms of tomatoes;
- several sprigs of basil (fresh or dried);
- 2 medium-sized dense onions;
- 2 large ripe bell peppers;
- 25 black peppercorns;
- 10 allspice peas;
- 1 medium-sized garlic head;
- 4 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
- 1 tsp. table or sea salt;
- 50 ml of 9 percent table vinegar;
- 4 tbsp. l. refined vegetable oil.
Selection and preparation of tomatoes
The selection of tomatoes must be taken responsibly, because the taste, quality and safety of the finished sauce depend on it.
Ripe, juicy and fleshy fruits with a sweetish taste are ideal for these purposes.
When purchasing, you must carefully inspect each fruit for damage and signs of rotting.
Next, the selected fruits should be prepared properly:
- Remove green tails and wash thoroughly.
- Make light cross-shaped cuts on each tomato.
- Keep in boiling water for 2-3 minutes - this procedure will make subsequent removal of the skin easier.
How to properly prepare the container?
Glass jars do not emit harmful substances when exposed to high temperatures, so they are best suited for preserving tomato-basil sauce. In addition, in such containers the aroma and taste properties of the finished product are ideally preserved. There should be no chips or cracks on the glass.
Before starting preparation, the jars must be washed with water and baking soda, and then sterilized in any convenient way:
- Fill a large saucepan with water. Place a metal sieve on top and place the jars on top, neck down. When water boils, steam is generated, which will penetrate the inside of each jar and disinfect. The procedure should last 15 minutes, after which the containers should be placed in the same position on a clean towel made of natural fabric.
- Place the washed but not wiped glass container in the oven and heat it at +160 degrees until all the droplets are dry.
- Pour water into the bottom of the jar (no more than 1 centimeter in height) and place in the microwave for 5 minutes, pre-setting the power to 700 W. As the water boils, steam is generated, which sterilizes the containers.
Lids for sealing containers also need to be sterilized. To do this, they need to be boiled for 10-15 minutes.
How to prepare tomato sauce with basil for the winter?
A universal recipe for making tomato sauce with basil for the winter is accessible and easy to follow. To do this you need:
- Place the previously blanched and peeled tomatoes into a blender cup. Cut the largest specimens into slices.
- Add basil sprigs to the tomatoes and grind.
- Place the resulting puree into a thick-bottomed, thick-walled saucepan, cover with a lid and simmer for half an hour over low heat. All this time, watch the vegetable mass so that it does not burn, otherwise the taste of the sauce will be hopelessly spoiled.
- After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the container and add spices, as well as sugar and salt. Next, stirring, continue to boil the mass a little more until the required consistency.
- Add vinegar and vegetable oil.
- Stir, take a sample and, if you are completely satisfied with the taste, pour the sauce into sterilized jars and roll up.
There is another cooking option. In this case you will need:
- Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan.
- Grind the allspice and black peppercorns in a mortar, add to the oil and fry for two minutes.
- Cut the peeled garlic cloves into pieces and add to the pepper-oil mixture. Stirring constantly, continue frying for another three minutes.
- Peel the onions and cut into half rings. Add to the remaining ingredients and sauté for five minutes. As a result, the onion should be slightly softened, but not fried.
- Take a deep, roomy pan and transfer the resulting mass into it.
- Add the sliced bell pepper and sauté for about five minutes.
- Grate the tomatoes and add them to the pan with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add salt, add sugar and boil for half an hour on low heat, constantly stirring the vegetable mass.
- When the liquid has evaporated and the consistency of the sauce has thickened, add chopped basil sprigs to it and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
- When completing the cooking process, add vinegar, mix everything thoroughly again and remove from heat after two minutes.
- After cooling the mass, pass it through a blender for a few seconds. In this case, there is no need to achieve a uniform consistency.
- Boil again, place in glass jars and seal with airtight lids.
Rules for storing sauce
Canned sauce is well stored in basements, pantries or other utility rooms with low air temperatures. If the vinegar or other preservatives content is minimal, the jars should be placed in the refrigerator.
