What is the differences between tomato "paste", "puree" and "passata"?

[CurryOnRegardless]

Hi Solarspace,

Trattoria Verdi'

Is this the brand name or the description?

Verdi being Italian for green,



Ray

Hold on, the Italian for green is actually VERDE (with an 'e'), VERDI (with an 'I') was the opera composer who composed, amongst others, the opera 'La Traviata' which means the Fallen Woman, I wasn't aware he had written any operas about cheap cafes (Trattoria). Tesco obviously know better!

LOFL
CoR

[Razor]

Correct, Verde is Italian for green and NOT Verdi, albeit the pronunciation is the same.  It is therefor a supermarkets effort to come up with an enticing brand name such as "Green Cafe" to boost sales of their value products.

Ray

[solarsplace]

Hi

Thank you for your indulgencies regarding the puree problem! - I did not mean to hijack the thread with it!

Anyway, the stuff is 'Trattoria Verdi' - Tomato Puree - Discount brands, produced in Italy for Tesco.

No mention of any other ingredients such as Basil, nothing at all to indicate that it is not pure.

However I recommend that you do not, in a moment of - Oh, panic no puree - oh - that will do - buy any for your curries. It is nasty in curries.

Thanks

[CurryOnRegardless]

FWIW, I find all tomato puree-in-a-tube stuff tastes pretty nasty, dunno why maybe it collects round the nozzle and goes rancid or something, better to use the tinned puree (not Tesco cheapo though!).

Cheers
CoR

[chonk]

Sorry to bring this one up again, many similiar threads already about it and quite some controversial opinions floating around here. Have to add mine too  ;D

I'm not convinced Passata has any place in Indian cooking.

Why though?! Taste-wise, it doesn't get any better imho. Quite the contrary:

I personally believe that in general, using tomasto paste+water instead of puree or Passata or blended canned tomatoes (like Roma) or puree/Passata+blended canned tomatoes compromises on taste. I believe this to be obvious. It's not the same and definitely doesn't taste the same. Try cherry tomatoes for sweeter sauces, It also definitely makes a big difference to look out for puree or Passata without the additives like a few users already mentioned.

Cheers!