Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Thicken Tomato Sauces

Create a heartier pizza sauce with thickened tomato sauce.


A rich, flavorful tomato sauce is the base ingredient for many types of cuisine, including Italian and Mexican. One challenge faced by chefs and home cooks is working with runny, watery sauce. A thick, hearty sauce will cling to pasta, meats and vegetables easier than a thinner variety. You can thicken the consistency of fresh tomato sauces; even bottled sauces thicken with the right ingredients and cooking techniques. Give a thin tomato puree a thicker body and deeper flavor by enhancing its consistency.








Instructions


1. Pour the tomato sauce into a non-stick skillet along with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Simmer the sauce on low heat, with the skillet lid on, until the sauce thickens. Stir the sauce with a wooden spoon every 2 to 3 minutes to keep it from sticking. The sauce should thicken in 15 to 30 minutes.


2. Spoon in 2 to 3 tbsp. of tomato paste. Blend the paste into the sauce using a wooden spoon. Allow the paste to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it simmers.


3. Pour 1 tbsp. cornstarch into 1/4 cup of cold water. Mix the two together. Stir the cornstarch liquid into the simmering sauce, stirring as you pour. Continue to simmer and stir until the sauce thickens.

Tags: tomato sauce, sauce thickens, sauce will, sauce with, until sauce, until sauce thickens, wooden spoon