As we mentioned before in the previous articles that tomato puree can also be used as a perfect sauce for spaghetti. The main difference between tomato puree and tomato puree is the texture - tomato paste is a thick sauce made from cooked and pureed tomatoes, while tomato puree is concentrated tomato that has been boiled, pressed and cooked again. Tomato puree is a thick puree of cooked tomatoes that is slightly less watery than tomato sauce. It can be used in place of tomato sauce or as a base to start your own sauce. When sold commercially, the ingredients should only include tomatoes and salt. Tomato paste is simply concentrated tomatoes. In the store, you will see small cans, jars or tubes of tomato paste that are much smaller than tins of tomato paste or sauce. A glance at the ingredient list should reveal just one thing: tomatoes. If you want to make your own puree, the type of tomatoes you use is important. For example, plum or Roma tomatoes perform best in puree; they are low in water content, with lots of flavor. However, you can use any type of tomato you like. Tomato paste is also commonly made from these types of tomatoes and is easy to make at home. 
Tomatoes can be preserved by canning, drying, freezing or pickling, according to the National Center for Food Preservation. To make tomato puree, cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. (To make skinless tomato puree, peel all the tomatoes before removing the seeds, although it's fine to leave the skins on.) Place the tomatoes in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. boiling Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the tomatoes release some of their juice and soften; about 10 minutes. In a blender or with an immersion blender, carefully puree the tomatoes until smooth. You can then strain your puree—the USDA provides detailed instructions for home canning—or portion it into resealable plastic bags, squeeze out the air, seal, and store evenly in the freezer. There is no real substitute for tomato puree, but as a last resort you can use unflavored tomato sauce and cook it down a bit until it thickens and becomes more like a puree. Tomato puree can be used as a base or addition to soups, stews, sauces or pizza, as well as many pasta dishes, including lasagna and spaghetti bolognese. You can also make homemade tomato paste. Again, the type of tomato you use will make all the difference in the yield and flavor of your finished puree. Plum or Roma tomatoes are good choices here. 
To make the tomato puree, quarter the tomatoes and place them in a large heavy saucepan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook on medium-high until the tomatoes soften and break down. Pass the tomatoes through a grinder or food sieve to remove the seeds and skins. Then stir in 2 tablespoons of sea salt and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Divide the tomato puree between 2 large rimmed baking sheets and place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake, checking every 30 minutes, until the tomato pulp is reduced to a thick paste, about 3-4 hours. Place in 4-ounce jars and process in a water bath, freeze, or refrigerate—with a thin layer of olives on top—for up to one month. Tomato paste is a workhorse for the pantry, appearing in recipes like meatloaf, chili, pasta, and more. It is usually given in small amounts because it is so concentrated. If you have leftover tomato paste, you can mix a few tablespoons into a homemade sauce, spread it on pizza dough before adding toppings, or use it to make a hot dip for garlic bread. Since the tomato paste is very tasty, you should caramelize it a bit in the pot before adding water and additional ingredients if you are using it for a pasta sauce. Steaming tomatoes allows you to easily remove the skins for use in sauces, soups, stews and other recipes. 
You can also stew tomatoes in advance of canning and other forms of canning. The easiest way to steam tomatoes is with an electric food processor, which will also have specific instructions for steaming different types of vegetables. If you don't have a steamer, then a large pot with a steamer basket will do just as well. Fill a large pot to one end with cold tap water or enough water to come just below the steamer basket. Add 1 tsp. salt in the water and bring the water to a boil. Rinse the tomatoes with cold water. Pull off the green tops and cut an "X" in the bottom of each tomato with a curling knife. Place the tomatoes upside down in the steamer basket. Place the basket in the pot of boiling water. The water should not reach the basket. Cover the pot and let the tomatoes stew for 3 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice water and place the bowl in a clean sink. Remove the steamer basket from the pot. Drop the tomatoes into the ice water to loosen the skin if your recipe calls for skinless tomatoes. When the number of freshly picked tomatoes becomes overwhelming in late summer, you'll want to put all the extras in the freezer. All you have to do is rinse the tomatoes, cut out the core and arrange the tomatoes in a tray to freeze them individually. Stored in freezer-safe bags, the low-calorie, vitamin-rich fruit is ready to be incorporated into a nutritious meal in an instant. Although freezing preserves that fresh, just-picked flavor, the skins become tough and the texture becomes so soft that tomatoes are best used in preparations where taste takes precedence over aesthetics—such as tomato sauce and soup. 
Hold the frozen tomatoes under hot running water for 20 to 30 seconds to thaw the skin. Peel the tomato, removing the loose skin, then discard. Repeat the process for four to six large tomatoes or 8 to 10 medium tomatoes. Peeled tomatoes are placed in a bowl to melt until soft to crush. Remove the tomatoes with a fork or squeeze them by hand to break them into small pieces. Cook 2 to 3 tbsp. olive oil, one medium-sized onion, and three or four minced garlic cloves (depending on your taste preferences) over medium heat in a large saucepan, stirring, until the vegetables are light golden brown. Add the crushed tomatoes to the pan along with 2 to 3 tbsp. chopped fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, marjoram and oregano. Season the mixture lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for an hour, uncovered, to make a thick sauce to serve with pasta. For a smoother sauce, simmer for an additional 30 to 45 minutes until the sauce thickens. Thaw the outside of frozen tomatoes by placing them briefly under hot running water. Remove the skins by peeling them. Cut the frozen tomatoes before they are completely thawed so that the juice does not drip onto your work surfaces. Cut frozen tomatoes into large chunks for meat and bean stews that take a long time to cook. Make smaller chunks of tomatoes for vegetable soups that cook faster.
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