Instructions: Rinse tomatoes well under running water and quarter. In a food processor puree tomatoes with salt until smooth. Line a large sieve set over a tall nonreactive kettle with cheesecloth and carefully pour tomato puree into center of cheesecloth. Gather sides of cheesecloth up over puree to form a large sack and, without squeezing puree, gently gather together upper thirds of cheesecloth to form a neck. Carefully tie neck securely with kitchen string. Tie sack to a wooden spoon longer than diameter of kettle and remove sieve. Put spoon across top of kettle, suspending sack inside kettle and leaving enough room underneath sack so that it will not sit in tomato water that accumulates. Let sack hang in refrigerator at least 8 hours.

Without squeezing sack, discard it and its contents and transfer tomato water to a bowl. Tomato water keeps, covered and chilled, 4 days.

Yield: about 6 cups

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