Catch up with Ketchup

When I was a kid, my closest cousin loved "tomato sauce"; tomato ketchup. I had nothing against it, but I was always impressed by her passion for it. We loved it from the type of bottles you generally get from supermarkets, and maybe they're still always gonna be better. But some years ago I started making it from scratch and started to think "Nah, maybe not."

Shopping list

• Canned plum tomatoes, finely chopped - 800g

• 1 medium white or brown onion, very finely chopped

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 80g brown sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 120ml white wine vinegar or cider vinegar

• 2 tbspns Worcestershire sauce (optional)

• 1 tbsp concentrated tomato purée

• 1 tsp powdered cinnamon (optional)

• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

• grated nutmeg and chilli flakes to taste

Cooking method

1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep frying pan. Add the chopped onion and sautée until translucent

2. Add the tomatoes, then the brown sugar, tomato purée, vinegar and black pepper; Worcestershire sauce and/or cinnamon, black pepper and salt to taste. Stir continuously

3. Cook for about 40 mins on very low heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens

4. Finally, add nutmeg and spicy red pepper flakes to preference

5. Allow to cool before pouring into boil-sterilised bottles for cool storage in the fridge until used