Make your own easy tomato puree

Why not use some of your tomato crop to make your own tomato puree. Puree is a thick, deep red concentrated tomato paste which has been made for generations in Cyprus. The traditional method involved skinning, grating, sieving to remove the seeds and then boiling to reduce the water content until a thick puree was obtained. And, In the days before freezers, the puree was stored in large pots which were covered with a thick layer of olive oil which prevented air from having contact with the food and spoiling it.

The process is much easier now and by using a food processor you don't have to skin the tomatoes and the seeds are pulverized to such an extent that they are not really noticeable in your puree.

Simply thoroughly wash your tomatoes, cut out any bruises or blemishes. quarter and blend in the food processor. Then bring to the boil in a large pan, only partially covered, and simmer for 3-4 hours, whilst stirring occasionally and then more often as it thickens.

Once cooled store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze in useful batch sizes for up to a year.

So many recipes include tomato puree and you will notice the superior flavour of your homemade puree whether used on a pizza, with pasta dishes or to add a rich colour an flavour to soups and stews.

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