Tomato paste: properties, composition and methods of preparation

In many countries around the world use a product such as tomato paste.Thanks to her, you can easily cook a delicious broil for soup, make a roast or some kind of sauce. The product is very versatile, easily stored in the refrigerator and always at hand, unlike fresh tomatoes. Is there any benefit in such pasta, is it possible to cook it at home by yourself, we will consider in detail in this material.

Tomato paste has long been known to mankind, for the first time it was started to make it a couple of centuries ago in Italy. Of course, the current product is very different from the product that the Italians once cooked. Today, in many countries of the world they sell such a piece, and it is used almost every day during the preparation of any dishes.

Tomato paste is a finished product that was made from tomatoes by the method of long-term heat treatment. For the manufacture of such pasta often use only ripe and juicy tomatoes. Fruits are carefully prepared for the process of processing, namely: they are peeled and seeds are removed. Then the resulting mass is boiled for a long time in order to get a paste of the right consistency.

This product is certainly useful, and its nutritional value is high, which is why many are wondering if it can be used during diets, whether it will harm the slim figure. In order to get an unequivocal answer to this question, you need to study the BJU of the product, and know its caloric content.

Per 100 grams of product, this paste contains eighty calories. Fat in this product is almost none, only 0.3 grams. Proteins two and a half grams, but more than sixteen grams of carbohydrates.

When choosing a particular product for daily use, it is necessary to take into account not only its caloric content, but also its composition, in order to know exactly what vitamins and other useful elements it contains. Such a product as a paste from fresh tomatoes, contains a sufficient amount of not only vitamins, but also various acids and minerals.

This product contains a large amount of vitamin B, which is also called thiamine. This vitamin can not only positively influence brain activity, but also stimulate the work of the whole organism. In addition, the vitamin is able to have a positive effect on the skin, fight against various skin diseases and improve the condition of the hair.

Everyone knows that tomatoes contain a large amount of a substance such as lycopene, which is considered to be a very strong antioxidant. This substance is contained in the paste, it has a positive effect on the general condition of the body, helping it to be in good shape and rejuvenating it.

If you continue to talk about vitamins, then it is worth mentioning vitamins PP, A, C, E, vitamins of group B, and so on. But also pasta contains minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and sodium.

You have already been able to make sure that such a product contains a lot of useful substances. Now it remains to find out what exactly is so useful tomato paste, and whether there are contraindications for its use.

Due to the high content of certain vitamins in the composition of this product, its regular use helps to strengthen the immune system, helps to more easily tolerate seasonal diseases and prevent their occurrence. But also this product is able to positively influence the work of the nervous system, improve the functioning of our brain and thereby improve memory and attentiveness. In addition, tomato concentrate improves digestion, a positive effect on the heart and reduces the risk of various diseases, including cancer.

Regular use of tomato paste has a positive effect on the skin and nails.Useful substances and vitamins to help strengthen bone tissue and improve skin elasticity, give it a fresh look and rejuvenate it. As well as the use of the product helps to combat stress, depression and improves mood at any time of the year.

Despite all its benefits, it’s still worth remembering that excessive use of this paste can lead to health problems. No wonder they say that everything is good in moderation. The daily intake of this product is twenty grams per day, this will be quite enough for the body to receive a portion of the necessary vitamins and nutrients.

Before you go in search of quality and useful pasta from tomatoes, you should learn what to look for when choosing a product. The main thing you need to pay attention to is the composition. If the label indicates that you have a product containing starch, sugar and other additives, this only indicates the low quality of the paste.

Like many finished products, tomato paste is divided into different varieties. On the label with a jar must be indicated what kind of product in front of you. Premium pasta is considered to be the best; a designation such as “extraclass” can also be used. This product has a rich color, aroma and taste of ripe tomatoes. When dissolved in water, a small precipitate may form, and this is normal. To taste, such a product in diluted form resembles freshly squeezed juice from fresh fruits.

A product of this sort has a maximum shelf life - a year - and is always packed exclusively in glass containers.

It is also easy to find a premium product on the shelves. This product has a very rich red color, dull. As soon as you open the packaging with this paste, then immediately feel the aroma of fresh fruit. As a rule, such a paste is easily dissolved in boiled warm water, which results in a real tomato juice, which can be safely consumed. To taste, the juice should be exactly the same as it usually is already in finished form, in packs from a trusted manufacturer.

This is followed by the first and other varieties, which can no longer boast the same impeccable quality and taste as above.

But also when choosing a paste even of the highest quality, it is necessary to pay attention to the thickness of the product. Poor quality product will be thickened with starch or other substances, and high-quality pasta boiled down to the desired thickness without adding anything. It is easy to check the presence of starch in the product; it is enough to drop a small amount of iodine into it: if the paste begins to change its color to darker, then you have a product with starch content.

If you pay attention to the packaging, then there should be indicated the percentage ratio of the mass fraction of dry matter. A quality product should exceed twenty percent; ideally, it should be twenty-five percent. A product of low quality can be distinguished not only in its composition, but also in taste. It has a sweetish taste and reminds everyone of the well-known product - ketchup.

And one more tip for all lovers of tomato paste. As soon as the package has been opened and the quality of the product has been carefully checked and tested, storage must be taken care of. If the bank is open, it is recommended to store it exclusively on the far shelf of the refrigerator. In order to start the pasta is not overwhelmed and not spoiled, we recommend pouring a little vegetable oil on top.This will need to be done after each use of tomato paste.

For those who are used to doing all the preparations at home, there are several excellent recipes that will help prepare tasty and healthy tomato paste. Preparing pasta at home is not so difficult: the main thing is to buy ripe and high-quality tomatoes, to find a proven recipe that has received positive feedback from housewives.

Making homemade food requires the right approach. Therefore, to begin with, some tips to help you make a high-quality product in your kitchen.

To make pasta, choose tomatoes that are not juicy, but fleshy. The fruits should be ripe, overripe should not be taken. Next you need to prepare them in the right way. First you need to clean all the fruits from the skin and seeds. This can be done in various ways.

• First way - make a small incision on the top of the fruit and scald it with boiling water. This will help to easily get rid of the skin. Then you can grind the pulp in a blender or in a meat grinder. After that, the resulting mass must be passed through a sieve to get rid of the seeds.

• Second way - we cut the tomatoes exactly in half and rub them on a medium grater. This will help to get a homogeneous mass without skin. After it will be necessary to pass everything through a sieve. This method is simple, but if you prepare a lot of pasta, the process will take a very long time.
• Third way - You can cut the tomatoes into two or four parts, if very large fruits. Then boil them for five minutes in boiling water. Once the slices have cooled, they can be easily rubbed through a sieve, getting rid of the skin and seeds.
• Fourth way and easiest - If there is a juicer in the house, then it will be easy and quick to prepare tomatoes for cooking pasta. As soon as the fruits are prepared, you can safely proceed to cooking.

Let's start with the classic and easiest way to cook.

For this you will need:

• two kilograms of fresh and ripe tomatoes;
• three hundred grams of onions;
• seventy milligrams of grape vinegar;
• two bay leaves;
• seventy grams of sugar and thirty grams of salt.

Grape vinegar should be weak, that is, no more than three percent. Tomatoes cut into large slices and put in a large and spacious dishes for cooking. There we also put onions, peeled, and sliced ​​lobsheaded lobs of arbitrary slices. We put everything on a slow fire without adding water. Gradually, the tomatoes will begin to give away their juice, liquid will appear, the skins of red fruits will begin to separate, and during cooking they can be removed. Cook over a very low heat for an hour, do not forget to stir it regularly.

Remove the pan from the heat, let the mass cool down. Then wipe everything through a sieve, and boil the resulting mass further until it is exactly two times smaller in volume. Then pour all the spices and vinegar, mix thoroughly, and cook for another fifteen minutes. We spread the mass into the prepared banks and roll it up.

Another simple recipe that will allow you to procure a useful twist. Prepare the number of tomatoes you need in any of the above ways. Fold the resulting mass into a tight gauze bag and hang so as to get rid of excess fluid. It is best to do this procedure in the evening, to leave everything to drain until morning.

Then we shift the resulting mass into a convenient dish for cooking, put on medium heat and bring to a boil. As soon as the mass begins to boil, pour vinegar. Vinegar is needed per kilogram of tomatoes twenty milligrams, it is better to choose nine percent. Cook for about fifteen minutes.Then add salt based on a pound of fruit twenty grams of salt, preferably coarse. Cook another fifteen minutes and the mash is ready. We decompose into a prepared container and roll it up.

Most modern housewives love quick and simple recipes so they don’t have to spend half a day at the stove. Especially now, when there are many modern kitchen appliances, it is much easier to simplify the cooking process. For example, such a paste can be easily prepared in the most common multicooker. You can take any classic recipe, and you can use a recipe, thanks to which the paste will turn out more piquant and fragrant.

To make piquant tomato paste in a slow cooker, you will need the following ingredients:

• one kilogram of bell pepper and ripe tomatoes;
• forty grams of fresh garlic;
• two or three hot peppers;
• one hundred milligrams of sunflower oil;
• thirty milligrams of vinegar (not concentrate, not more than nine percent);
• two hundred grams of sugar and sixty grams of salt.

Prepare the tomatoes, freeing them from the skin and seeds in any convenient way, which we discussed above. The resulting mass is laid in the bowl of the device. Bulgarian pepper (you can take any color) and hot need to grind. You can do this with a meat grinder or blender. Add the resulting mass of peppers to the tomatoes. Rub the garlic on a fine grater or skip through a special press and add to all ingredients. Lay the oil, vinegar and all the spices, mix.

Next you need to install a program to extinguish exactly ninety minutes. As soon as the paste is ready, place it in prepared cans, close it, and after cooling it will be stored in a cool and dark place.

Unfortunately, not everyone in the kitchen has such wonderful appliances. But it does not matter, because you can cook a delicious pasta using a conventional oven. Take:

• three kilograms of fresh and ripe tomato fruits;
• eighty milligrams of vegetable oil;
• fifty milligrams of table vinegar;
• sixty grams of salt.

Divide tomatoes into four parts, cook for half an hour on very low heat. As soon as they cool down, remove the skin and fray through a sieve. The resulting mass is mixed with the rest of the ingredients and spread on a baking sheet, gently leveled. The oven should be heated not more than a hundred degrees, leave the mass to languish there for two hours. Approximately every fifteen to twenty minutes you need to mix the mass so that nothing burns, and the preparation was correct. As soon as everything is ready, we lay in the banks and roll it up.

For those who love everything unusual and ready to experiment with spices, we offer the following recipe. To make it you will need:

• two kilograms of tomatoes;
• one medium onion;
• two cinnamon sticks;
• ten peas of allspice;
• two bay leaves;
• two or three sprigs of rosemary;
• tablespoon of apple cider vinegar;
• Fifteen grams of salt and one hundred fifty grams of sugar.

Take a spacious dish for cooking mashed potatoes, preferably with a thick bottom. Remove the stalks, cut the tomatoes into slices or slices and place them in the dishes. Onions cut into half rings, lay out the top. We put everything on a small fire, cook for half an hour, then remove the peel of tomatoes. We give the vegetable mixture to cool and grind through a sieve until a homogeneous mass, getting rid at the same time and from the seeds.

The resulting mass is again placed in a saucepan, put cinnamon sticks, laurel and rosemary. Peas pepper is best wrapped in a small piece of gauze and put on the bottom of the pan. As soon as the mass boils, boil for fifteen minutes, remove all spices and cook further. Cook until thick, until everything decreases by two or three times. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for exactly ten minutes, then roll them into jars.

And here is another recipe for spicy and fragrant pasta. Take:

• three kilograms of juicy tomatoes;
• one hundred and twenty milligrams of vinegar;
• thirty grams of salt;
• one cinnamon stick;
• seven to eight black peppercorns;
• ten carnations;
• sixty milligrams of vegetable or olive oil.

We clean the tomatoes from the skin and scroll through the meat grinder or grind with a blender, then send in a canvas bag and leave to drain overnight. The next morning we shift the resulting mass in a bowl with a thick bottom and set it on a small fire. As soon as the mass boils, add spices that are best pre-folded in a gauze knot. Cook the mass for fifteen to twenty minutes, along with the spices, then remove them. Add salt, vinegar and cook for exactly fifteen minutes. The resulting mass is laid out on the banks, pour a little oil on top and close.

To learn how to cook tomato paste at home, see the next video.