For a family of four

Ingredients:

Ten (10) bushels tomatoes (best choice San Marzano)
Ten (10) pounds onions
Ten (10) garlic cloves
Fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper
Sugar
130 - 8 ounce mason jars

Description:

1• Place an old blanket or tablecloth on the floor of an unused room or basement. Room temperature should be between 67 and 72 degrees.
2 • Distribute the ten bushels of tomatoes on the floor making sure that they do not lay on top of each other. The purpose for this step is to make sure they are ripened red like the picture of the tomato above. It also enables you to seek the rotten tomatoes and dispose of them. The period of time needed for this step depends on the time it takes for the tomatoes to ripen. Between three and seven days. When ready the next procedure happens on the day of preparation (time allotted for ten bushels - 10 hours - two people).

3 • This step involves cleaning each tomato in a large sink or recipient with cold - lukewarm water to remove mud and dirt. Let tomatoes dry naturally until all tomatoes are cleaned and dried.

4• Once the tomatoes are cleaned you must cut each tomato into small pieces for preparation of cooking in a large pot.

5• I prefer cooking outdoors in the backyard with a propane powered burner that you can purchase in a typical ethnic grocery for about $50.00. You should cook the tomato until boiling occurs and the sauce is partially liquid. Preparation includes adding three pounds of onions and three garlic cloves in a 10 gallon pot. Add salt and pepper to taste and half a cup of sugar to remove the acidity. Fresh parsley add the final touch (5 leaves)

6• Once this occurs it is time to pass it through the tomato passer.This machine can be purchased electric or manual. I prefer the manual one because it is easy to use and pleasant to work with. Approximate cost of a manual tomato passer is about $100.00. Once you have set up your passer then you insert the partially cooked tomato sauce in the tomato passer to remove the seeds and skin and provide the semi final product.

7• You must then pass it one more time in the big pot and bring to a boil.

8• Prepare the mason jars and gently pour the boiling tomato sauce in the jars one by one.
9•Once the jars are filled place them under a blanket in a safe place until they cool down (approx. 3 days). Congratulations you can now enjoy your sauce for the whole year.

Estimated cost without the equipment investment:
10 bushels tomatoes - $120.00
Onion, garlic, parsley, seasoning - $20.00
Utility fee - $12.00
Total cost $152.00 for seventy meals for 4 people
Aprox. $2.50 for the sauce and $1.00 for the pasta
Then you wonder why the italians can afford a new car. Ha Ha.

Please note: When preparing the sauce for a meal follow these steps:
1• Heat a pot with vegetable oil.
2• Add one whole onion for two mason jars of sauce (serves 4 portions)
3• Before browning onion add half a garlic clove
4• Add the sauce, salt and pepper and sugar to taste.