Cherry tomatoes are quite nice in a salad. But they're also nice canned, and when canned are a perfect ingredient to add to sauces, or even top a pizza.

See Also

About Italian Tomatoes

Dino Romano's Marinara Sauce

Tuscan Pomarola Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 2/3 pounds (3 k) cherry tomatoes, if possble vine-ripened
  
• An onion, finely sliced
  
• A sprig of wild fennel, finely chopped (use a teaspoon of fennel seeds if you cannot find wild fennel)
  
• Salt to taste
  
• A teaspoon of sugar
  
• Several 1-cup (250 ml) canning jars
  
• Olive oil

• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Cook Time: 150 minutes

• Total Time: 210 minutes
• Yield: Several jars canned tomatoes

Preparation

Wash and coarsely chop 4 pounds of the tomatoes and put them in a casserole with the onion, fennel, sugar, and salt to taste. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook 15 minutes more.

Put the tomatoes through a food mill or blend them, and return them to the pot with the remaining tomatoes. Bring to a boil, lower the flame, and simmer 5-7 minutes.

Transfer the sauce to canning jars, cover each with a thin layer of olive oil, and seal the jars with their lids.

Sterilize them by putting them in a canning pot with ample water to cover, bringing the pot to a boil, and simmering the jars for an hour. Let them cool and put them in a cool dry place.

Want to use some right off? Make pasta with wild fennel and peppers.