After spending a summer in Italy as a teenager, I fell in love with tomatoes and as a result, became sort of a tomato snob. Some people care about good cheese or wine. For me, it’s tomatoes.

To satisfy my taste buds, I can tomatoes each year in August or September so I can have great tomato sauce all year long. I use this sauce on pastas, pizzas, soups and dishes. I love opening up my pantry and seeing rows of beautiful, homemade tomato sauce.

The best tomatoes for canning are San Marzanos and I was delighted to find them at the farmers markets in San Francisco when I moved here three years ago. They are a version of the plum/Roma tomatoes but are more meatier. Plus, they’re pretty cheap – about $20-$25 for a flat (about 20 pounds). I can 40 pounds, which makes for a long weekend but it’s worth it, I promise.

I was delighted last summer to teach a few of my friends and see them happily tell me that they love the sauce and using it. Below is my recipe/instructions – click to enlarge and print. Happy canning!