Canning Tomato Paste

8 quarts chopped peeled, cored tomatoes (about 48 large tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups chopped sweet red peppers - (about 3)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
1 garlic clove -- peeled-if desired

Organize and prepare ingredients, equipment, and work area. In a large preserving kettle, cook tomatoes, peppers, bay leaves, and salt for 1 hour over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Press through a fine sieve and return to kettle. Discard seeds and bay leaves. Add garlic, if using, and continue to cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until tomato mixture is thick enough to mound on a spoon, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove garlic.

Pour hot paste into hot half-pint jars to within 1/4-inch of tops. Run a slim, non metal tool down along the insides of jars to release any air bubbles. Add additional paste, if necessary, to within 1/4-inch of tops.

Wipe tops and threads of jars with damp clean cloth. Put on lids and screw bands as manufacturer directs. Process in a boiling water bath 45 minutes.

This recipe yields about 9 half-pint jars.

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