Tomato Paste

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Follow_me
Follow_me Posts: 6,120 Member
in Recipes
I have a gallon of tomato paste and I want to make a marinara sauce. I cant seem to find a recipe that uses mostly paste. Can anyone help me out? Thanks.

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  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,925 Member
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    Because it's basically uses as a thickener or to enhance the tomato flavor and to add sweetness. A dish primarily made of tomato paste would be rare, and unappealing imo.
  • tinascar2015
    tinascar2015 Posts: 413 Member
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    neanderthin wrote: »
    Because it's basically uses as a thickener or to enhance the tomato flavor and to add sweetness. A dish primarily made of tomato paste would be rare, and unappealing imo.

    ^^^ Yep. I'm Italian, and I've never heard of making a sauce or gravy with tomato paste alone.
  • lwynd002
    lwynd002 Posts: 115 Member
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    My mom used to make a marinara sauce with only tomato paste... She just added water to make desired consistency... Flavored with salt, basil, garlic (sometimes onion as well). Also used it as a sauce for pizza
  • Follow_me
    Follow_me Posts: 6,120 Member
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    lwynd002 wrote: »
    My mom used to make a marinara sauce with only tomato paste... She just added water to make desired consistency... Flavored with salt, basil, garlic (sometimes onion as well). Also used it as a sauce for pizza

    I was wondering if that would work.

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,925 Member
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    Follow_me wrote: »
    lwynd002 wrote: »
    My mom used to make a marinara sauce with only tomato paste... She just added water to make desired consistency... Flavored with salt, basil, garlic (sometimes onion as well). Also used it as a sauce for pizza

    I was wondering if that would work.
    You can eat anything, so yeah it would be a tomato tasting sauce but it's not marinara.

  • jaggerjia
    jaggerjia Posts: 51
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    Pasta Fagioli is the only dish i can think of that has a sauce mostly made with tomato paste. Most sauces have it as an ingredient but not usually a primary one.

    This is the closest online recipe i could find to my Nonna's authentic Pasta Fagioli (which from my understanding, traditionally is not actually a soup) Also, I've only ever had it with ditalini pasta, not shells, but you can use what you have/prefer.


    PASTA FAGIOLI
    1 lb. Great Northern beans
    4 qts. water
    1 c. olive oil
    3 tbsp. minced garlic
    2 tbsp. tomato paste
    2 tbsp. salt
    1/2 tsp. dried basil, crumbled
    1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
    1/2 lb. sm. shell macaroni, cooked
    Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    Freshly ground pepper
    Boil beans with 4 quarts water in large pot over high heat for 15 minutes. Blend in olive oil, minced garlic, tomato paste, salt, basil and oregano. Continue boiling until beans are tender, about 1 1/4 hours, adding more water as necessary. Stir in cooked macaroni. Add Parmesan cheese and pepper. Serve hot.
  • Follow_me
    Follow_me Posts: 6,120 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Thanks Jaggerjia. But I don't have a vat big enough for that recipe. I have a whole gallon I was needing to use! LOL

    Your recipe sure sounds tasty!
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    I find sauces or pizzas made chiefly with tomato paste to be bitter. A gallon of it? Only for big-quantity cooking. If you don't find anything to do with it, donate it to the local food pantry that supplies the soup kitchens. I'm sure one of them would love to have it. Hubby and I do volunteer stuff with a local Feed America pantry that supplies over 300 church soup kitchens regionally.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I have used tomato paste as a base for spaghetti sauce. Just add enough water and salt to the right consistency and taste.

    Might I suggest you freeze portions say, in muffin tins maybe lined with plastic wrap, wrap tightly and keep in your freezer? Only a small amount of tomato paste is a great addition to many sauces and slow cooker meals. If you portion it out how it is used in cooking, it will be useful for numberless dishes through the year.
  • littlebee55
    littlebee55 Posts: 71 Member
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    I agree with jgnatca. It freezes really well. I only use the little 6 oz cans, but almost everything I make using it only calls for a tbsp or so. I always have to freeze the rest. The muffin pan idea is great. I'll have to do that next time. Or maybe an ice tray.
  • HumboldtFred
    HumboldtFred Posts: 159 Member
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    I would make it into ketchup with honey, garlic, and allspice. Then I would make a bunch of French fries..............................

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