Re: Tomato paste - was Re: Recipe conversion--Greco

[Guest guest]

>I was wondering if it would be possible to make your own by (semi)

>drying the tomatoes and then pureeing them in a food processor.

>Anyone tried?

>

>Cheers,

>Tas'.

Well, the Italians sure did! I tried it once with fresh tomatoes and it was

just too much work and never did get thick, but using dried would

be better (esp. if you have a nice hot sun to dry them!). In the " Keeping

Food Fresh " book there is a recipe for fermenting the tomatoes to make

tomato sauce, which sounds easier, but I haven't tried it.

Heidi Jean

[Guest guest]

> >I was wondering if it would be possible to make your own by (semi)

> >drying the tomatoes and then pureeing them in a food processor.

> >Anyone tried?

> >

> >Cheers,

> >Tas'.

>

> Well, the Italians sure did! I tried it once with fresh tomatoes and it

was

> just too much work and never did get thick, but using dried would

> be better (esp. if you have a nice hot sun to dry them!). In the " Keeping

> Food Fresh " book there is a recipe for fermenting the tomatoes to make

> tomato sauce, which sounds easier, but I haven't tried it.

>

>

> Heidi Jean

Tip from my old canning and homesteading list days. IIRC, it came from an

Amish lady. Anything that needs to be reduced to be thick like fruit

butters, ketchups and tomato pastes can be done in your oven at 250. The big

work then is just the blanching or peeling. Have made peach butter in the

oven overnight a few times. Did it in an enamel roaster pan, covered. No

stirring or burning, being tied to kitchen like stovetop.Best way for tomato

paste would be to blanche and peel plum tomatoes, cook till soft on

stovetop, sieve seeds out, puree, add spices, cook in oven until reduced.

May want to start uncovered to get some moisture out if not using plum

tomatoes. Plum tomatoes should have the same moisture as apples or peaches

pureed. If you don't mind seeds and skins drying and pureeing would do it.

You'd need a ton of dried tomatoes to get any amount. Forget the tomato

weight conversion from whole to dried other than its a huge difference.

Wanita

[Guest guest]

No

>stirring or burning, being tied to kitchen like stovetop.Best way for tomato

>paste would be to blanche and peel plum tomatoes, cook till soft on

>stovetop, sieve seeds out, puree, add spices, cook in oven until reduced.

Wanita:

You know, for me this is really a theoretical issue ... we have NEVER gotten

a batch of tomatoes to ripen in this climate! Our local farmer does, but

he uses a greenhouse. Anyway, I have a huge batch of tomatoes and I'm

going to make some nice green tomato chutney. We had fried green tomatoes

for dinner too. Green tomatoes are just soooo good.

I like the oven idea though. I wonder if the smoker would work? That would

be OUTSIDE, and impart a smokey flavor, while reducing the liquid.

Heidi Jean