Passata is tomato purée that usually has the skins and seeds removed. It’s a traditionally Italian sauce, and many Italian families still have “tomato days” where the whole family gets together to make bucketloads of the sauce. You can use passata in your cooking in a variety of ways – in pasta, on pizza and as a base for soups and stews. Here’s how to make your own passata! (this is my favourite recipe).

• 2 kgs of tomatoes

• Fresh basil

• Salt

• Garlic

• Sugar

• Olive oil

• Inspect your tomatoes for rot/bruising. Chuck out any bad ones and rinse the rest in cold water.

• Place all of the tomatoes into a big pot and cook on low heat. Stir occasionally to help them break apart. Once the inner sections of the tomatoes are broken down, turn off the heat.

• Remove all the seeds and as much of the inside liquid as you can (this is so the flavour of your sauce isn’t weakened).

• Place all of the tomatoes into a big pot and cook on low heat. Stir occasionally to help them break apart. Once the inner sections of the tomatoes are broken down, turn off the heat.

• Strain the tomatoes, breaking them down further. Continue straining until you have a smooth consistency.

• Season with salt. I also like to add basil, garlic, sugar and olive oil. Experiment with different amounts to achieve the flavour you’re after.