Homemade Tomato Garlic Paste Recipes

AUTHENTIC (QUICK) ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE FOR PASTA

Steps:

• Pour the oil into a large saute pan (not a deep pot) over medium high heat. Crush the garlic and add it to the oil (if you want a spicy sauce, you can add some hot pepper, fresh or flakes, at this point). Saute the garlic until it just starts to brown, then add the parsley.
• Turn the heat up to high. Now add the tomatoes, and quickly cover with the lid for about 30 seconds, until the squirting subsides. Stir with a wooden spoon and lower the heat a little. It is important that this sauce is cooked at a fast simmer, as it is cooked briefly.
• Add the salt and continue to simmer at a fast pace, and stir often.
• The sauce will thicken quickly, so do not overcook it, and have it become too thick; about 5 to 7 minutes should be sufficient.
• Taste the sauce, if it doesn't taste delicious, it probably just needs a little more salt. Turn off the heat and add the fresh basil (I tear mine into pieces). Also, unless absolutely necessary, do not wash your basil. Wipe it with a damp paper towel instead, so the water doesn't ruin the flavor and aroma.
• Add sauce to the drained pasta (save some pasta water to add back into the pasta in case it's too dry), and enjoy immediately with some freshly grated authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and/or pepper.
• Also, if you've been plating pasta in a bowl, then topping it with sauce, this is American-style. If you want to serve it the way they do in Italy, mix the sauce in and then plate it.

HOMEMADE TOMATO PASTE

Steps:

• Stir to combine the tomatoes with the olive oil and salt in a large Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium heat until the tomatoes give up their juices and the skins start to peel off, about 10 minutes.
• Let cool for a few minutes, then pass the tomatoes and their juices through a food mill fitted with the finest disk into a bowl. (If you don't have a food mill, you can press through a sieve.) Transfer the puree to the Dutch oven. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to thicken and is reduced by about half, about 1 hour. Lower the heat so the puree is barely bubbling and continue to cook, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until very thick, 30 minutes to 1 hour more, depending on how juicy your tomatoes were. Once the puree is quite thick, keep an eye on it and cook, stirring frequently, until brick red and completely dried out (but not burnt), 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool completely.
• Transfer to a nonreactive jar and cover with a thin film of olive oil to prevent a crust from forming. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. For longer storage, transfer to ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, remove and transfer the cubes to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE I

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Have ready a large bowl of iced water. Plunge whole tomatoes in boiling water until skin starts to peel, 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon and place in ice bath. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then remove peel and squeeze out seeds. Chop 8 tomatoes and puree in blender or food processor. Chop remaining two tomatoes and set aside.
• In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook onion, bell pepper, carrot and garlic in oil and butter until onion starts to soften, 5 minutes. Pour in pureed tomatoes. Stir in chopped tomato, basil, Italian seasoning and wine. Place bay leaf and whole celery stalks in pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours. Stir in tomato paste and simmer an additional 2 hours. Discard bay leaf and celery and serve.

HOMEMADE TOMATO PASTE

Steps:

• Wash and trim tomatoes. Blanch and remove skin if desired, or press through sieve when done cooking.
• Combine tomatoes, red peppers,onions, bay leaves, basil,oregano, honey, if using, and salt in a large stockpot and cook slowly for about 1 hour.
• Press through a fine sieve. Add garlic, and continue cooking slowly until thick enough to keep its shape on a spoon, about 2 1/2 hours. Stir frequently to keep from sticking.(this could be done in a crockpot-just stir and keep an eye on it).
• Pour through sieve(if you left the skins on), then pour into hot 1/2 pint canning jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.
• Process 1/2 pints 45 minutes in a boiling water bath.
• Makes about 9 1/2 pint jars.

TOMATO AND GARLIC PASTA

Steps:

• Place tomatoes in a kettle, and cover with cold water. Bring just to the boil. Pour off water, and cover again with cold water. Peel. Cut into small pieces.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
• In a large skillet or saute pan, saute the garlic in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. The garlic should just become opaque, not brown. Stir in the tomato paste. Immediately stir in the tomatoes, and salt and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer until the pasta is ready; add the basil.
• Drain the pasta, but do not rinse in cold water. Toss with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and then mix into the sauce. Reduce the heat as low as possible. Keep warm, uncovered, for about 10 minutes when it is ready to serve. Garnish generously with fresh Parmesan cheese.
• VARIATIONS: Saute fresh quartered mushrooms with the garlic, or add shoestring zucchini along with the tomato.