sauce - tomato, puree
t=teaspoon T=tablespoon + -=more or less
These recipes are for your personal use only and may not be added in any form to archives or other works.
Please read the article Tomato Puree and Sauce - too acidic for you? for important tips and information. Read related article on Food Preserving - Reviving a Tradition .
Tomato Puree
This will probably be the best tomato puree you have ever tasted. Low in acidity, low salt and no sugar added, made from the meat of ripe plum tomatoes. I started making my own when I moved to Spain where tomatoes of all kinds are abundant and inexpensive and I could no longer
buy the Italian brand of puree I always used.
Unfortunately, I found most of the Spanish purees far too salty and sweet for my
recipes. I usually make just a plain puree with only salt since I will be adding more ingredients when I use a jar for a pasta or
other sauce. However, I have added instructions in case you do wish to add onion. My yearly Tomato Puree sessions have become a labour of love that my mother and I do together.
What is the difference between a puree and a sauce? The puree is the base and is
only tomatoes and a little salt. A sauce is the puree with other
ingredients added and is cooked longer. See notes below for
preserving batches.
makes ten 325-350 ml. jars or
four 500 ml. and four 325 ml. jars
16 k. ripe plum
tomatoes
+ - 2 T. salt
3 lg. onions (optional)
olive oil for sautéing (optional)
Bring a large potful of water to the boil. Add the tomatoes, turn off the heat and remove to a cold water bath after
1 or 2 minutes. The peel should come off easily.
Try to work on a cutting board over the sink. Cut a tomato in half, cut out the stem and remove the seeds into the sink or bowl. Turn the halves over and give them a press slightly to remove excess juice. Do this for each tomato, placing the finished tomato in a bowl. By the time you are done, there will most probably be more juice. Discard the liquid or reserve for another use.
Use a blender or processor to blend to a smooth puree. It should resemble a pourable puree. If it is very thick, add a little water (which is non-acidic) and not more juice. Process a few seconds to incorporate the added water. Now you have a delicious puree made from the meat of the tomato and with far less acid.
Use a deep enough pot as all thick sauces need sputter and splash room. If
using, chop the onion finely and sauté in the hot olive oil until glassy stirring frequently for another minute or so. Add the tomato puree and salt. Stir well and allow to gently simmer
half covered for
45 minutes to an hour (remove lid after 20 minutes). This will depend on the ripeness and character of the tomato used. Stir occasionally.
It is done when the sauce has an even, thick consistency and no liquid separates
from the puree.
I prefer to use a
wide pan. The liquid reduces quicker because of the wide surface and air
contact. Work in batches combining each batch into one larger pot.
Stir well and bring again to the boiling point if preserving or freeze in small to medium quantities.
See below for information regarding easy home preserving.
Variations: This puree is a very versatile base for other great sauces. Have a look at the Pasta section on Classic Sauces.
Note: read my Food Preserving - Reviving a Tradition article for information on easy home preserving without special equipment. Read related article on Tomato Puree and Sauce - too acidic for you?
All recipes are excerpts from "Welcome to My Kitchen" - The Epicurean Table and are copyright of the author. Recipes are not to be
added to any form of archive or other works of any kind. Contact the author for further information.
The Epicurean Table © 2003 Patricia Conant