Tomato juice, tomato puree and tomato paste are three stages of homemade tomato preparation for the winter.

But how much of the final product you get from a kilogram of fruit depends on what you want to cook. There will be more delicious homemade juice, but, of course, less tomato.

And how to prepare tomato paste, puree and juice for the winter at the same time.

Wash ripe, preferably fleshy, tomatoes. Cut them, place them in a saucepan and, without adding water, put them on low heat.

As the tomatoes heat up, they will begin to shrink in volume and release juice. As it boils, you can gradually add fresh fruits to the container.

Wash and sterilize bottles or jars.

Drain the juice formed after boiling the tomatoes into them and sterilize them in hot water for half an hour.

First stage - first preparation - clear, natural, homemade tomato juice - ready!

Rub the remaining mixture in the pan through a sieve to remove seeds and skins, and continue cooking over low heat.

The second tasty and healthy preparation from tomato - tomato puree (or passata) with a consistency 2-3 times thicker than juice. It also needs sterilization.It is better to store it at home in the refrigerator or cold basement. But you can also freeze it and use iced tomato cubes in winter to make flavorful sauces and soups.

If you continue to boil the tomato puree for a few more hours, you will get third home preparation from tomatoes - delicious tomato paste. It is the most concentrated tomato product, rich in micro- and macroelements. The longer the paste is cooked, the more antioxidant lycopene it contains.

If you put salt in the prepared pasta in a proportion of 3 tbsp. l. per 1 kg, then it will be perfectly stored without sterilization in tightly closed jars. You can also use vegetable oil as a natural preservative. Filling them with a thin layer of tomato preparation on top will ensure their longer storage.

Using this simple recipe for preparing tomatoes, you can now easily prepare tomato juice, paste or puree for the winter at home.