Uploaded August 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Preserving raw tomatoes using wild fermentation has been used for hundreds of years throughout Italy. The Italians call this method of preserving raw tomatoes, Conserva Cruda Di Pomodoro. The yield is 8:1.

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Preserve Raw Tomatoes (Conserva Cruda Di Pomodoro) Part I: youtu.be/8ZnnSNmriag
Preserve Raw Tomatoes (Conserva Cruda Di Pomodoro) Part II: youtube.com/watch?v=b_ILIg4rEXY
Basic tomato sauce recipe: youtu.be/7R6gyfhPyuA

INGREDIENTS
Fresh tomatoes, washed and trimmed
25-30% sea salt (finished weight)

DIRECTIONS
Place your tomatoes into a large bin and squees them until they are well crushed. Cover the bin with cheese cloth or a cotton dish towel and secure with twine. Stir twice daily. You’ll begin to see signs of fermentation after 12-24 hours. Eventually a mold will form on the top, stir this in TWICE DAILY. The molds are integral to the preservation process. After 4 or 5 days fermentation will cease. Run the tomatoes through a food mill or blender to remove peels and seeds. Strain the pulp into a cotton bag or 4 layers of cheesecloth tied at the corners. Hang to drip liquid for 1 day. If the bag becomes covered with mold, ‘shave’ it off with a spoon and discard. Retie the bag and press it between two clean and dry boards, weighting evenly. Press it for a few days until the paste has the consistency of a firm dough. Mix in 20-30% salt. After a few hours knead the dough to distribute the salt. The preserves are traditionally stored in small crocks on the counter. The concentrate is added to vegetables, soups, beans and grains as a flavor enhancer.

Here's an interesting article detailing the process, but what I found interesting is they attempted the same process with non acidic foods, which is why they failed. This technique works in an acidic environment. nordicfoodlab.org/blog/2012/10/conserva-cruda

ITEMS USED
The book: goo.gl/oieOFI
Real Salt: goo.gl/b8tYk0
My Chef’s Knife: goo.gl/KZbCkP
1 and 2 gallon apothecary jars: goo.gl/0c9n9J
Cheese cloth: goo.gl/dq60j7
Cotton twine: goo.gl/AngfKs
Butcher block: goo.gl/oYFqzf
Block conditioner: goo.gl/Ts2mWY
Chinois: goo.gl/aCPtLa
Cotton produce/nut milk bags: goo.gl/nGhrs8
The cutest way to keep your paste: goo.gl/u7175b

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MUSIC
C Major Prelude by Bach
1812 Overture by Tchaikosvky