Tomato purée
Encyclopedia
The definitions of tomato purée vary from country to country. In the USA, tomato purée is a processed food product, usually consisting of only tomato
es, but can also be found in seasoned form. It differs from tomato sauce
or tomato paste
in consistency and content; tomato puree generally lacks the additives common to a complete tomato sauce, and does not have the thickness of paste.
To prepare tomato purée, ripe tomatoes are washed and the leaves
and stem
are removed. Some processors remove the skin of the tomato as well. This is then mashed or mechanically chopped to the desired consistency.
Tomato purée can be used in soups, stews, sauces, or any other dish where the tomato flavor is desired, but not the texture. It is often deprecated by professional chefs, who find it to have an overly cooked flavor compared to other forms of canned tomatoes. This is sometimes a non-issue, as in long-cooked dishes, but in quick sauces such as a marinara sauce
it is undesirable.
Tomato purée is sometimes referred to by its Italian
name, passata di pomodoro, when it has been "passed" through a sieve
to remove seeds and lumps. In this form, it is generally sold in bottles or aseptic packaging, and is most common in Europe.
In the United Kingdom, 'tomato purée' usually refers to what in America is known as concentrated tomato paste. In the UK, passata refers to sieved uncooked tomatoes.
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
es, but can also be found in seasoned form. It differs from tomato sauce
Tomato sauce
A tomato sauce is any of a very large number of sauces made primarily from tomatoes, usually to be served as part of a dish...
or tomato paste
Tomato paste
Tomato paste is a thick paste that is made by cooking tomatoes for several hours to reduce moisture, straining them to remove the seeds and skin, and cooking them again to reduce them to a thick, rich concentrate...
in consistency and content; tomato puree generally lacks the additives common to a complete tomato sauce, and does not have the thickness of paste.
To prepare tomato purée, ripe tomatoes are washed and the leaves
Leaves
-History:Vocalist Arnar Gudjonsson was formerly the guitarist with Mower, and he was joined by Hallur Hallsson , Arnar Ólafsson , Bjarni Grímsson , and Andri Ásgrímsson . Late in 2001 they played with Emiliana Torrini and drew early praise from the New York Times...
and stem
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
are removed. Some processors remove the skin of the tomato as well. This is then mashed or mechanically chopped to the desired consistency.
Tomato purée can be used in soups, stews, sauces, or any other dish where the tomato flavor is desired, but not the texture. It is often deprecated by professional chefs, who find it to have an overly cooked flavor compared to other forms of canned tomatoes. This is sometimes a non-issue, as in long-cooked dishes, but in quick sauces such as a marinara sauce
Marinara Sauce
Marinara sauce is a southern Italian tomato sauce usually made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs , and onion. However, there are many variations. Some of these include the addition of capers, olives, anchovies, and/or spices....
it is undesirable.
Tomato purée is sometimes referred to by its Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
name, passata di pomodoro, when it has been "passed" through a sieve
Sieve
A sieve, or sifter, separates wanted elements from unwanted material using a woven screen such as a mesh or net. However, in cooking, especially with flour, a sifter is used to aerate the substance, among other things. A strainer is a type of sieve typically used to separate a solid from a liquid...
to remove seeds and lumps. In this form, it is generally sold in bottles or aseptic packaging, and is most common in Europe.
In the United Kingdom, 'tomato purée' usually refers to what in America is known as concentrated tomato paste. In the UK, passata refers to sieved uncooked tomatoes.
External links
- Passata recipes and information at the BBC's Food pages