Tomato purée is a thick liquid made by cooking and straining tomatoes. The main difference between tomato paste, tomato purée, and tomato sauce is consistency; tomato puree has a thicker consistency and a deeper flavor than sauce. This particular recipe is at its most basic.
INGREDIENTS
- 18 plum tomatoes
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 basil leaves
DIRECTIONS
- Wash the tomatoes and cut them into quarters.
- Transfer the tomatoes to a large pot and add salt.
- Raise the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
- With a ladle, scoop some tomatoes into a potato ricer and press to release the juice.
- Open the ricer and discard the skin and seeds that have collected. Repeat this process with all of the tomatoes.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to catch any seeds or peel that remain.
- Pour the tomato mixture into a pot and raise the heat to medium.
- Cook uncovered for 15 minutes so that any excess water can evaporate.
- Now put the basil into a jar (or split it between 3 jars) and pour the passata on top. The passata is ready to use as is or as a base for a soup or pasta sauce.
An Authentic More Involved Version
