GASTRONOMY · INGREDIENTS & SAUZEN
Tomato puree: concentrated taste in a spoon
Use Peltes as a concentrated taste base: short baking, thinning and matching a sauce.
Added: · approx. 2 minutes read
1. Lots of tomato in little volume
Tomato puree is a concentrated product that does something other than passata or a can of tomato pieces. On Greek packaging you will find the name pelts. The product can give a sauce more depth and colour, but does not deliver the entire moisture volume of fresh tomatoes. The municipal guide of Santorini shows how important tomatoes can be in a local island kitchen; not every pot of puree therefore has that island origin. [I01]
Read whether you buy single, double or otherwise concentrated puree and whether salt has been added. Names and packaging may vary. A coated spoon of one product does not always give the same result as a full spoon of another brand.
2. Heat briefly, do not burn
In a stew you can cook puree briefly in oil after for example onion has become soft. Stir and keep an eye on the bottom. A slightly darker colour and changing smell may be welcome; black baked edges and a bitter smell are no sign of extra depth.
Then add the remaining liquid and loosen the bottom. A small pan on high fire leaves little margin of error. Begin quietly and make sure that water, broth or tomatoes are ready before adding the puree.
3. Adjust acid, salt and sweet
Do not taste a sauce until after the mashed potatoes have been chewed. Automatically adding sugar because tomato can be acidic, often makes the taste flatter or too sweet. First check the cooking, dilution, salt and the ratio to the rest of the dish.
For a comparison make two small sausporties with the same base. Bake briefly in one puree and stir in the other directly through the liquid. Leave both yarn for the same length. The trial helps you to recognise the effect of the process without risking a large dish.
4. Opened packaging
Write the opening date when you don't consume a pot quickly. Follow the label and use clean cutlery. A layer of oil on top is not a reliable method to store an opened tomato product indefinitely. Small frozen portions can be practical when the product and packaging are suitable for this purpose.
A dark, strong mashed potatoes can be enough as an accent in a soup. For a plate of pasta you usually need a real sauce build-up. So evaluate the ingredient on the function it has to perform, not just on the color it gives to the pan.
Sources and accountability
Consulted on 31 October 2026. Facts about origin and products are linked to these sources. Explanation, comparisons and trial suggestions are written editorially; recipe texts are not reproduced.