Several years ago I got this salsa recipe from a friend of a friend who worked at the local post office.  (Consider this my plug for saving our little post offices – they’re good for more than just mail…)  I make it every year, as long as I have tomatoes, onions and peppers all at the same time from the garden.

Salsa and Pear Shaped Italian Beefsteak Pomodoros

Garden Tomato Salsa Recipe

9 cups skinned tomatoes, chopped

3 cups chopped onions

3 cups chopped peppers, mix of mostly sweet peppers with hot peppers to taste

1 ½ cups tomato paste  (cooked & sieved cherry tomatoes)

1 bulb (several cloves garlic) chopped

1 cup cider vinegar

2 tsp. salt

Several grinds of fresh black pepper

1 bunch chopped cilantro

Salsa Ingredients

Simmer all of the above ingredients for 30 minutes.  Water bath can in pint jars for 15 minutes or freeze.  The salsa has a better texture if canned but if you’re not into canning it is still very good frozen.

This time around I used mostly a large meaty Italian heirloom tomato, Red Pear Selezione Franchi, but you can use whatever you have.  The original recipe called for a can of tomato paste but I have always used the abundance of small tomatoes from the garden.  Just cut in half, cook until most of the liquid disappears then sieve in a food mill.  If necessary, simmer the puree a little longer to thicken it to a paste consistency.