Pantry Essentials: Tubed Tomato Paste
November 30th, 2007
The easiest way to get great tomato flavor into your dishes in the winter when good, fresh tomatoes aren’t available is tomato paste. I never ended up using the canned stuff on a regular basis because it tends to be overly acidic, and because I never could use an entire can. Luckily, tomato paste is available in smaller quantity and (much) better quality in tubes — similar to travel-sized toothpaste tubes. While you end up paying more per ounce than canned paste, it’s a lot tastier, a lot more useful, and always on hand when you need it. While the tubes will probably run you $4-5 dollars at your grocery store, you can get a supply (12 tubes) at Amazon for under $25, which works out to under $2 a pop.
For a unique, flavorful, fast pizza sauce, combine tomato paste, our roasted shallot vinaigrette, and olive oil.