Tomato paste is a great way to add flavor to stews and sauces, They are easily available in cans in market.. You can easily make your own tomato paste instead of relying on the canned stuff, though. All you need are a few ingredients and plenty of time. Here’s what you need to do to make tomato paste using either the stove or the oven.
INGREDIENTS
Makes about 1.5 cups (375 ml) paste ( Recipe courtesy Food.com )
5 lbs (2250 g) tomatoes
1/4 cup (60 ml) plus 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
Salt, to taste
METHOD
Cut the tomatoes. Roughly chop the tomatoes with a sharp kitchen knife, cutting them into small pieces.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil to a 12-inch (30.5-cm) skillet and heat over high heat.
Briefly cook the tomatoes with salt. Add the chopped tomatoes to the skillet. Season them with a little salt, to taste, and bring them to a boil. Cook until softened.
Stir the tomatoes continually as you cook them.The tomatoes should become very soft. After they reach a boil, you should cook them for about 8 minutes or so.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly once softened.
After the tomatoes have cooled slightly, remove the skins and seeds separately. Remove the skins before softening the tomatoes in the skillet. After softening them, push the pulp through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds.
Transfer the pulpy tomato liquid back into the Pan. Cook the tomatoes uncovered and on medium-low heat until they reduce down to a paste-like consistency.Stir the tomatoes occasionally as they cook to prevent burning or sticking at the bottom of the pan.
Leave the lid off so that steam and moisture can evaporate into the air. Otherwise, the tomatoes will not be able to reduce properly.
It can take 2 to 3 hours for the tomatoes to reduce down to paste.
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