In article 1>,
"Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" > wrote:

> Okay, I've gone through the cabinets. For some reason I stock a lot of
> tomato paste. Never do I have enough tomato sauce or diced tomatoes. Is
> there a way to make tomato sauce out of paste? I'm sure it's a st00pid
> question but I'm asking anyway. A pizza thread got me to thinking about
> it.
>
> Michael

(Rolls eyes) Add water, you dipstick!!!
--
-Barb
<http://jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 7-5-06, Pannekoeken
"If it's not worth doing to excess, it's not worth doing at all."

> Adding H2O doesn't change the thick taste. Is it the starch or what?
> Gawd... All I want, mostly, is a nice tomato sauce.

It does help to add a bit of sodium bicarbonate with the water, milds the
paste-taste a lot.
A pinch of sugar might help as well.

~R~

In article 1>,
"Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" > wrote:

> >
> > (Rolls eyes) Add water, you dipstick!!!
>
> Adding H2O doesn't change the thick taste. Is it the starch or what?
> Gawd... All I want, mostly, is a nice tomato sauce.
>
> Michael <- Not too bright but lovable... most of the time


LOL! Add more water. "-)
There's usually nothing but tomatoes in tomato paste, Dude.
--
-Barb
<http://jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 7-5-06, Pannekoeken
"If it's not worth doing to excess, it's not worth doing at all."

"Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" > wrote in
6.121:

> I almost always use canned tomatoes for sauce but in a pinch I've used
> paste. I hate ketchup (yeah, I said it, so kill me). Okay, so what is
> tomato paste intended to be used in? In spaghetti sauce I usually use
> ground chuck along with chopped fresh 'shrooms, chopped garlic and
> onion and a variety of spices. I put in a few cans of tomatoes. I
> taste as I go so I can't tell you the amount of which spices I use. I
> have fresh oregano in the garden so I use it a lot. I throw in a bay
> leaf and some parsley along with a bit of a Penzey's mix of Italian
> stuff... oh and Kosher salt with some pepper. If I'm in the mood and
> have them on hand I'll dice some green pepper but that's not a given.
> Sometimes I like that green pepper taste but not that often.
>
> Michael


Michael,

I think tomato paste is for adding flavor to dishes where a sauce would
ruin the consistency. It's used in Texas chili, for example, which is
kinda soupy enough as it is. I could be wrong though.

$0.02,

Andy

Michael "Dog3" Lonergan wrote:
>
> I almost always use canned tomatoes for sauce but in a pinch I've used
> paste. I hate ketchup (yeah, I said it, so kill me). Okay, so what is
> tomato paste intended to be used in? In spaghetti sauce I usually use
> ground chuck along with chopped fresh 'shrooms, chopped garlic and
> onion and a variety of spices. I put in a few cans of tomatoes. I
> taste as I go so I can't tell you the amount of which spices I use. I
> have fresh oregano in the garden so I use it a lot. I throw in a bay
> leaf and some parsley along with a bit of a Penzey's mix of Italian
> stuff... oh and Kosher salt with some pepper. If I'm in the mood and
> have them on hand I'll dice some green pepper but that's not a given.
> Sometimes I like that green pepper taste but not that often.
>
> Michael

I use it as a thickener in tomato sauce and other dishes will use it for
color and taste also.

Here is my plain old tomato sauce that I make every other Sunday.
Measurement are a guess as I really don't measure this any more.

1 large onion (yellow)
1 large bell pepper (color of your choice)
olive oil (your brand as needed)
3-5 cloves of garlic (amount to be set by your own taste)
2 bay leaves
2 table spoons of dried oregano
2 table spoons of your favorite Italian seasoning blend
1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley (Italian or broad leaf)
2 large cans of whole Roma tomatoes (crushed are fine also, brands are up to
you)
1 small can of tomato paste ( brand is up to you)
1 teaspoon of sugar
drinkable wine (red or white - enough to fill the small tomato paste can)
salt, black pepper, crushed red peppers to taste

Dice up the onions and bell pepper. Pick a pot to make the sauce in and get
it on medium heat. Once hot add a couple of table spoons of olive oil then
sauté the onions and bell pepper until soft (5 to 10 minutes). Now add your
crushed garlic and the can of tomato paste. Now add 1 tomato paste can of
wine and one can of water, then 1 teaspoon of sugar. Add your Roma tomatoes
crushing by hand or food processor. Allow this to come to a bubble and add
your fresh basil, parsley, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, and oregano. salt
and pepper to taste, you can also add crushed red peppers now if you like. I
then turn it down to a simmer and stir every 15 minutes or so. I let this
cook for about 3 hours.

Now if I want a meat sauce, I will brown the ground meat (sausage, beef,
pork) with the onions and green pepper. I don't like to brown my meat balls
with pasta so I will let them slow cook in the sauce. Italian sausage I
brown in another pan and then add them to the sauce to finish cooking. I
prefer my mushrooms sautéed so rarely add them but if you want just add them
before a couple of minutes before the onions and peppers are done. If the
sauce is too think you can add water, too thin don't cover and let it cook
down.

--

Joe Cilinceon

Michael "Dog3" Lonergan wrote:
> "Joe Cilinceon" > :
>
>> snip and save<
>
> Thanks Joe. Method and recipe has been saved. I pretty much do the
> same as you, but I don't add the sugar. Usually I use tomatoes vs.
> sauce and whatever meat I have on hand. Usually it's ground chuck
> but for lasagne it is always ground Italian sausage.
>
> Michael

I add 1 teaspoon for can of tomato paste, it can be a little bitter without
it. I've also like fresh tomatoes instead of canned when I can get the Roma
tomatos, (got 2 plants coming up now). I don't care other types of tomatoes
in pasta sauces. I like to mix 2 parts beef to 1 part pork in sauces and my
meat balls also. I like the Italian sausage without the casings for sauces
as well but sometimes also like the full sausage. Basil and parsley grow
good here in Kentucky, I have it going almost year around now in a small
hot house.

--

Joe Cilinceon

Michael "Dog3" Lonergan wrote:
> " >
> ups.com:
>
> >
> > (Rolling MY eyes)
> >
> > Tomato paste isn't just tomatoes without the liquid, It's been cooked
> > for a long period of time. It's used as a flavoring or a thickener.
> > You can't uncook it any more than you can uncook a roast or a pot of
> > pork & beans. Adding water will give you watery tomato paste.
> >
> > The best you can hope for is ketchup, (if you add vinegar and sugar).
> >
> > Buy canned tomatoes for when you need sauce.
>
> I almost always use canned tomatoes for sauce but in a pinch I've used
> paste. I hate ketchup (yeah, I said it, so kill me). Okay, so what is
> tomato paste intended to be used in? In spaghetti sauce I usually use



> ground chuck along with chopped fresh 'shrooms, chopped garlic and onion
> and a variety of spices. I put in a few cans of tomatoes. I taste as I go
> so I can't tell you the amount of which spices I use. I have fresh oregano
> in the garden so I use it a lot. I throw in a bay leaf and some parsley
> along with a bit of a Penzey's mix of Italian stuff... oh and Kosher salt
> with some pepper. If I'm in the mood and have them on hand I'll dice some
> green pepper but that's not a given. Sometimes I like that green pepper
> taste but not that often.
>
> Michael
>
> --
> "I live on good soup and not fine words"
> --Moliere, La Femmes Savantes


Okay, so what is
> tomato paste intended to be used in?

> > Tomato paste isn't just tomatoes without the liquid, It's been cooked
> > for a long period of time. It's used as a flavoring or a thickener.

It's used as a flavoring or a thickener.

If any of your favorite recipes involve envelopes of dried spaghetti
sauce mix, or cans of condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, it's not
likely that you'll understand .

You can make a better pot of tomato sauce using canned ingredients,
cheaper, without measuring, in about an hour.

Why does anybody buy that overpriced, salt-laden crap?