The Traveling Tomato – Part 3 “A Tomato Grows in Brooklyn” A Biopic

Including a Recipe Guideline for: Fresh Tomato Sauce

Many years ago, canning was necessary, as there was no refrigeration. I find it much easier to prepare the tomatoes as in the recipe above, and then store the sauce in quart or pint size heavy duty Ziplock bags or containers. After tightly sealing them, I put these sauce laden pouches to lay flat in the freezer. They will last for 10 to 12 months when stored this way!

My first experience with the tomato probably occurred before the age of three. It has been said that most of our memories before this age are lost as we move into adulthood. I feel that I still have a few recollections stuck in the “cobwebs” of my hippocampus. I remember tomato in my Pastina!

I was raised in a two-story semi-attached home, in a classic Italian American neighborhood in Brooklyn. We had a small backyard that my parents managed to divide creatively for maximum usage. We had a four-foot pool on a cement patio, with a small part of soil surrounding the pool area. Dad had the Mason leave this area “cement free” so that Mom would have the space to plant her tomatoes, eggplant, basil, and parsley. These ingredients were the basis of our diet, not only in summer but yearlong. We resorted to her favorite brand of canned tomatoes come winter. I will reserve that story for a future post.

The tomato was ever present in our lives. We swam next to them all summer long, picked them from the vine, and shared our abundant crop with the neighbors. Most evenings, there was a fresh sliced tomato salad prepared in various ways. Sliced and drizzled with olive oil, then heavily dusted with oregano, salt, and pepper. Other nights we enjoyed our daily pick with red onion, cucumbers, and a healthy drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. The Caprese was my favorite, tomatoes paired with salty/milky fresh mozzarella and basil. We had plates of pasta “Filetto di Pomodoro” made from small plum tomatoes. We enjoyed my grandfathers Panzanella Salad, made from bread, tomatoes, basil and, onions.

Sitting on a slatted aluminum garden chair, my Mother supervised our swim from the back porch, often reprimanding us for splashing too much chlorine water onto the tomato plants. I’m thinking that my Mother sat there not only to lifeguard us, but overseeing her precious summer tomatoes as well.

NOTE: This tomato inspiration requires the use of a food mill. Passing the tomatoes through the mill will remove skins and seeds. A food mill can be used to mash potatoes, puree soups, make tomato sauce and assist in the preparation of applesauce. There are various options for purchase online, and I believe all home cooks would find it helpful to own one.

This sauce is your “template” for endless ideas that would benefit from the flavor of tomatoes.

Summer Tomato Sauce

Yields: about 4 cups

Ingredients:

6 pounds of ripe tomatoes, washed and cut into quarters

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Place tomatoes in a heavy pan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat. They should start releasing their juices right away. If this doesn't happen, add a few tablespoons of water. After approximately 15 minutes, the tomatoes should be completely broken down. Drain the excess water, and then pass the tomatoes through the fine blade of the food mill. If the sauce seems to thin and you would like it to be thicker, return it to the pot and cook slowly, until the desired consistency is attained. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the oil.

Inspirations:

a. Marinara sauce: Saute some chopped onion and or sliced garlic in olive oil. When the onion and garlic are golden in color, add the sauce and cook for twenty minutes. Add basil and or fresh chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Boil the Pasta!

b. Chopped prosciutto can be added to the above and sautéed with the onion and garlic, add the tomato sauce and cook for twenty minutes. The addition of wine, olives, capers and anchovy paste turns this sauce into a Puttanesca.

c. Shrimp, clams or mussels can be added to the enhanced tomato sauce. Sauteed garlic, crushed red pepper are both synonymous with this dish.

d. The basic recipe is perfect for Gazpacho

e. Add this sauce to soups and stews (Minestrone, Pasta Fagioli, Lentil, Manhattan Clam Chowder)

f. You get to create the rest.

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