Spicy Garlic Pasta Sauce

We have been so blessed with the amount of tomatoes that our plants have produced this year.  We have made salsa, eaten them straight off the vine, fed the chickens, given them away to anyone who stands still long enough at our house, and tonight we made spicy garlic pasta sauce!  I can't wait to put this over some whole grain pasta.  Yum!  

This is a very simple recipe, so even if you are not experienced at canning this should not be a problem. (You will need basic canning supplies such as pint jars and a water bath canner.) 

Spicy Garlic Pasta Sauce

12 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled

1/3 cup very finely minced fresh garlic

2-6 fresh cayenne or chili peppers, minced

3 T. sugar

3 T. kosher salt

2 cups lightly packed fresh basil, snipped

1/2 cup lightly packed fresh Italian parsley

6 T. lemon juice

Coarsely chop the peeled tomatoes and put them in a large stainless-steel pot.  Stir in garlic, chili peppers, sugar and salt.  Bring this to a boil stirring frequently.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley and basil.

Spoon 1 T. of the lemon juice into each hot canning jar and then ladle in the hot sauce.  Leave 1/2-inch head space.  Wipe the rim of the jar, place lids and place the jars into the hot water canner.  After the water in the canner starts to boil, set your timer and process jars for 35 minutes.  Remove jars and allow them to cool for 24-48 hours.  Remember to check the seal on your jars before storing them!

This recipe should yield you 7-8 pints of sauce.  Enjoy!