What's the difference between tomato puree and paste? Both of these canned tomato-based goods appear to be extremely similar.
However, the two are not the same!
When it comes to cooking with tomato paste, there are endless possibilities.
One of the most classic uses for tomato paste is in pasta sauce.
Whether you're making a simple marinara or a rich and hearty bolognese, adding a dollop of tomato paste can take your sauce to the next level.
The concentrated flavor of the tomato paste helps to build layers of complexity in the sauce, giving it a robust and satisfying taste that will have your taste buds singing.
What is tomato paste?
Thicker than most other culinary concentrates, tomato paste is formed by blending tomatoes together.
Tomato paste is made by first cooking tomatoes and then straining and re-cooking them.
As a result, you get a concentrated paste with more body and sweetness than puréed tomatoes, but with less acidity.
Many ground meat meals, such as meatballs, meatloaf, and tacos, call for tomato paste to get the desired consistency.
Different kinds of tomato paste
Tomato paste comes in two varieties: Hot Break and Cold Break, which are utilized to make various end products.
To make Hot Break (HB) paste, new tomatoes must be heated to a high temperature (between 85 and 100°C) shortly after chopping.
The fresh, sliced tomatoes must be roasted at a lower temperature (between 65 and 75°C) for Cold Break (CB) paste.
HB paste is used for ketchup and various varieties of tomato sauce that require a Brix of 28-30 degrees, whereas CB paste is used for triple concentrate paste that requires a Brix of 36-38 degrees.
Specification of tomato paste
More nutrients can be found in tomato paste than in tomato sauce.
It is more concentrated, and it has more lycopene, than regular tomato sauce.
The antioxidant properties of this substance have been linked to numerous health benefits, including enhancements in the skin and cardiovascular health and protection from cancer.
Tomatoes naturally contain this antioxidant, however, processed tomato products like tomato paste have far larger concentrations of it.
Tomato paste often has higher calories and carbs per serving.
Tomato paste, even when used in lower amounts, is a healthier alternative than tomato sauce when it comes to nutrition.
Tomato paste uses
Tomato paste is commonly used to add richness and umami to many dishes.
Tomato paste is a great way to add flavor to your food, and it works even better when combined with other tomato products like sauce, purée, or canned tomatoes.
Tomato paste adds flavor to meals like meatloaf and sloppy Joe without watering down the sauce because it contains so little water.
Tomato paste is a versatile food additive that can be used to increase the body and flavor of a variety of dishes, including sauces, stews, and chilies.
One of the features that distinguish high-quality tomato paste is that it reflects low light.
To cut costs, the majority of low-quality tomato paste incorporates starch.
The tomato paste reflects a lot of light as a result of this.
Therefore, if you notice a strong light reflection from the tomato paste, you should assume that starch was utilized and that the tomato paste is of poor quality.
In addition; homogeneity is another feature that must be regarded before buying tomato paste.
One of the characteristics of high-quality tomato paste is that it is homogenized and that no other vegetables are used in the production process, which is considered one of the most appropriate ways to analyze tomato paste.
Tasting the tomato paste is one of the easiest ways to spot it.
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