Ketchup recipe from Slovakia

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 kg tomatoes
• 500 g apples, sweet or sour
• 1 beetroot
• 250 g onion(s)
• 200 g sugar
• 5 garlic cloves
• 100 ml vinegar
• 5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
• 1 tsp paprika powder, hot
• 6 peppercorns, black
• 6 peppercorns, white
• 6 bay leaves
• 4 cloves

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 5 minutes

Wash the tomatoes and apples. Peel the beets, onions, and garlic. Then chop all the ingredients into small pieces and add them to the pan. Add the vinegar, sugar, pepper, and paprika. Place the whole peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves in cheesecloth, tie a tie, and add them to the pan. Let everything simmer for about 1 hour. If you prefer a thicker, runny ketchup, simmer for longer; if you prefer a runnier ketchup, simmer for less time. After 1 hour, remove the cheesecloth from the pan and let the contents of the pan cool. Then puree everything thoroughly with a hand blender. Pass the pureed mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds. Pour the ketchup into clean jars. Seal the jars tightly. Now reduce the ketchup. Place a dishcloth or something similar in the bottom of a saucepan to prevent rattling. Place the jars in the pan and fill with water up to ¾ of the way up. The water and the contents of the jars should be roughly the same temperature. Now heat slowly over low heat – the contents of the jar need time to come up to temperature. Once the water boils, the actual preserving time begins. In this case, it takes about 20 minutes. Once the ketchup has cooled, it can be stored in a cool place after opening. Depending on the preserving method, it will yield approximately 4 jars. Tip: Gauze is available at any pharmacy.