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tomato paste
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How to make Tomato Paste Ice Cubes

Tomato paste is the ideal ingredient for many recipes.
As it’s a very easy way to add a tomato flavour to meals. This recipe will show you how to make tomato paste at home and then storing it in ice cubes.
More details of why it works below the recipe
Course ingredient
Cuisine Italian
Keyword tomato paste
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 600 g
Author Minze Vries
Cost £1

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4.5 kg Roma Tomatoes or San Marzano Tomatoes
  • 2 tsp Olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp Sea salt

Instructions

  • Pick & wash the tomatoes
  • Cut the tomatoes in quarters and remove the seeds
  • Put the olive oil into a large pan over medium heat and then add the tomatoes. Boil for about 30 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the skin begins to detach
  • Put the tomatoes through a food mill and sieve to take out the skins and remaining seeds.
  • Put the pulp back into the pan and add the salt.
  • Preheat the oven to 200ºF - depending on how many tomatoes you used you might need to make sure you have enough space for 2 baking sheets
  • Place the tomato pulp onto 1 or 2 baking sheets - the sheets need to be completely covered and about 30 cm high. It is very important the pulp is the same height on the sheet, if not the thinnest part might burn.
  • Every 20 to 30 minutes check the sheets and gently stir the pulp. As the pulp shrinks you might need to combine 2 sheets or move the puree into the centre of the sheet. Making sure the pulp stays about 30 cm high.
  • After about 3 to 3.5 hours your tomato paste should be ready. Usually this is after it has reduced by about half - it will no longer be like a sauce but a lot more solid & sticky with a darker colour.
  • Take out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature

How to store tomato paste

    Using jars in a fridge

    • Get a clear jar and then fill it with the tomato paste using a spoon.
    • Level the paste at top of the jar with the spoon and cover with olive oil.
    • Put on the lid and leave in the fridge. Should last about 1 year.

    Making tomato paste ice cubes

    • Using a spoon fill an ice cube tray.
    • Put in the freezer and when frozen take out and
    • Put the tomato paste ice cubes in freezer bags.

    Notes

    Why tomato paste ice cubes?

    The reason is that this storage option has 2 advantages:
    Firstly
    It is a lot easier to store and you can use as many blocks as you need.
    Secondly
    The advantage of using tomato paste ice cubes is that you can simply add them straight into a recipe for maximum flavour.
    Many chefs do tend to add tomato paste to late when cooking.
    You will get maximum flavour results by adding tomato paste at the beginning. The tomato paste ice cubes are ideal for this.

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