Thanks. I hadn't considered that the type of tomatoes I was using was
making such a difference. Each year we buy 12 different tomato
varieties at the nursery. We get the plants when they're about 6" high,
take them home and grow them here. We don't start from seed. That way
we hedge our bets against a variety not growing well, and we get quite a
long season with some ripening early and some ripening late. There's an
aesthetic advantage too with the tomatoes in yellow, orange, pink and
red, large small, different shapes. My experiments with making sauce
were based on taking the surplus and seeing what I could do to preserve.
I'm never sorry for the experiment since it is fun, and I learn
something, but sometimes I don't want to eat the results. This year
I'll ask at the nursery for the San Marzano type you describe and see
what happens.


--Lia


Rodney Myrvaagnes wrote:

> Later in the summer I can get San Marzano -type tomatoes from local
> farmers. Blanching, peeling, and seeding gives me a start on a nice
> non-watery quick sauce. I blanch them in the water the pasta goes into
> later.
>
> Sometimes I mix in some canned tomatoes or puree. But in neither case
> does it need hours to cook down.
>
> Indeed, if the tomatoes are good enough, they can be diced and tossed
> raw with the hot pasta, along with some garlic, basil leaves,
> whatever.