Wash the tomatoes under a stream of cold water, remove the stem and slice them thinly. This will allow the juices to be released more easily during cooking. Take the celery, peel it and cut it into small pieces. Make sure the celery leaves are also well washed, as they will add extra flavor to the sauce. After that, peel the apple, remove the core and seeds, then cut it into small cubes. Prepare the bell peppers in the same way, removing the seeds and slicing them into suitable pieces. Gather all these ingredients and pass them through the meat grinder to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Put the resulting mixture into a larger pot, add the crushed garlic, then place the pot over medium heat. Let it boil for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. When the mixture has reduced and the flavors have blended, let it cool slightly, then pass the mixture through a fine sieve to obtain a delicate and smooth sauce.
Reintroduce the sauce into the pot and add the sugar, vinegar, slices of hot pepper, and chili flakes. Boil the mixture for another 20 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. If you want a more refined texture, you can strain the sauce again to remove the chili seeds, which will give it a more pleasant appearance. Now add the spices: thyme, oregano, and the cinnamon stick. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, then continue to boil for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
It is important to taste the sauce and adjust the spices according to your preferences. If you want a spicier ketchup, add a few drops of Tabasco sauce. Keep the sauce on the heat, stirring more frequently, until it thickens and reaches a perfect consistency for use.
When the sauce is ready, pour it hot into sterilized and preheated bottles, then seal them well. Place the bottles between blankets to cool completely, and once they have cooled, label them and store them in the pantry. This delicious ketchup can be used as is or as an addition to soups, broths, stews, sauces, pizza, or pasta, adding extra flavor to your dishes.
Put the resulting mixture into a larger pot, add the crushed garlic, then place the pot over medium heat. Let it boil for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. When the mixture has reduced and the flavors have blended, let it cool slightly, then pass the mixture through a fine sieve to obtain a delicate and smooth sauce.
Reintroduce the sauce into the pot and add the sugar, vinegar, slices of hot pepper, and chili flakes. Boil the mixture for another 20 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. If you want a more refined texture, you can strain the sauce again to remove the chili seeds, which will give it a more pleasant appearance. Now add the spices: thyme, oregano, and the cinnamon stick. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, then continue to boil for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
It is important to taste the sauce and adjust the spices according to your preferences. If you want a spicier ketchup, add a few drops of Tabasco sauce. Keep the sauce on the heat, stirring more frequently, until it thickens and reaches a perfect consistency for use.
When the sauce is ready, pour it hot into sterilized and preheated bottles, then seal them well. Place the bottles between blankets to cool completely, and once they have cooled, label them and store them in the pantry. This delicious ketchup can be used as is or as an addition to soups, broths, stews, sauces, pizza, or pasta, adding extra flavor to your dishes.
Ingredients
For 2 liters of ketchup - 4 kg tomatoes - 1 kg bell peppers (red sweet peppers) - 2 apples (200 g) - 400 g onion - 200 g celery root and leaves - 2 cloves garlic, crushed - 1 tablespoon salt - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper - 1 teaspoon thyme - 1/4 teaspoon oregano - 1 stick cinnamon - 200 g sugar - 50 ml vinegar - 2 hot peppers - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes - 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, optional