Passata is just sieved tomatoes, and a food mill (mouli) is the easiest way to make it. You don’t need to peel or deseed anything. Cook the tomatoes until they collapse, turn the handle, and the skins and seeds stay in the mill while smooth passata runs into the pan underneath.
Makes: about 1.2 to 1.5 litres · Time: about 45 minutes · You’ll need: a food mill with a fine disc, a large pan and a second pan or bowl to mill into
Ingredients
- 2kg ripe tomatoes (plum tomatoes give the thickest passata, but any ripe tomatoes work)
- 1 tsp salt
- Optional: a handful of basil leaves, 2 garlic cloves, a splash of olive oil
Method
- Prepare the tomatoes. Wash them, cut out any hard stalk ends and cut them into quarters. Leave the skins and seeds in.
- Cook them down. Put the tomatoes in a large pan with the salt (and the garlic and basil, if using). Cover and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until the juices start to run, then uncover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until they’ve completely collapsed.
- Set up the mill. Fit the fine disc and rest the mill over a clean pan or a large bowl.
- Mill the tomatoes. Ladle in a few scoops at a time and turn the handle. Every so often, turn it backwards for a couple of turns to clear the disc. When only skins and seeds are left, tip them out and carry on with the next batch.
- Reduce if you like. For a thicker passata, simmer it gently, uncovered, for another 10 to 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Cool and store. Let it cool, then pour it into clean jars or tubs.
Tips
- Use the fine disc for a smooth passata. The medium disc gives a slightly rougher, more rustic sauce.
- Don’t fill the mill too full. A few ladles at a time mills faster and splashes less.
- Watery tomatoes? Cook them a little longer before milling, or reduce the passata afterwards.
- Rinse the mill and disc straight away. Dried tomato skins stick hard to the holes.
Storing and freezing
Keep passata in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It also freezes well for about 3 months: freeze it in tubs or bags in portion sizes, leaving a little space at the top for it to expand. If you want to bottle it to keep in the cupboard, follow a tested preserving method, because tomatoes need extra acid and proper heat processing to be stored safely at room temperature.
Common questions
Do I need to peel the tomatoes?
No. That’s the main reason to use a food mill. The skins and seeds stay behind in the mill.
Can I make passata without a food mill?
Yes, by pushing the cooked tomatoes through a sieve with a spoon, but it takes much longer. A blender doesn’t work as well: it chops the seeds into the sauce, which can make it bitter, and you still need to sieve out the skins.
What’s the difference between passata and tomato sauce?
Passata is plain sieved tomato, usually with just a little salt. Tomato sauce is cooked further with onion, garlic, herbs and oil. Passata is the base you use to make it.
Need a food mill? Our guide to the best food mills in the UK covers seven, including the Gourmet Artiste, which is built for big batches of tomato sauce.
