Making your own tomato paste at home is a rewarding culinary project that can elevate your cooking with rich, concentrated flavors. The process is straightforward but requires patience and attention to detail. Typically you start with ripe, juicy tomatoes—Roma or plum varieties are ideal due to their meaty texture and lower water content. Wash the tomatoes thoroughly, remove any blemishes, and cut them into quarters. Place the tomatoes in a large pot and simmer them over medium heat until they break down and release their juices, usually about 20-30 minutes. I had12 extra quarts of tomato juice that I canned last year that we hadn't used yet, so I decided to make tomato paste the cans of juice.  It only calls for a few ingredients and lots of cooking time.