Good morning. In today’s edition, we get into:
Using tomato paste
Optimizing spaghetti and meatballs
Keeping a sourdough starter alive with less effort
And thanks for all the awesome photo submissions, we love seeing what people are cooking for themselves at home. Send in a pic, and you might get featured in an upcoming edition!
INGREDIENT DEEP DIVE 🍳
Tomato paste
Squeeze tubes of tomato paste are so much more convenient than cans. Use what you need, then screw the cap back on. Lasts forever, and no dealing with can openers or half-used open cans in the fridge.
What is it?
Tomato paste is made from cooked down tomatoes, which get strained of seeds, then reduced into a thick and spreadable consistency. Basically tomato sauce with most of the water cooked off.
It’s a universal product used across cuisines and readily found in pretty much any grocery store.
Some brands label the product as “double concentrated,” but in our experience, it’s more of a marketing term. Most tomato pastes behave similarly in cooking.
While it’s often found in cans, we always tell people to buy the squeeze tube.
Tubes are convenient to squeeze out exactly what you need without having to open a full can. You’ll incorporate tomato paste way more into your cooking when it’s easy to reach for and apply, without worrying about wasting product.
What’s its flavor?
Taste: Mildly sweet, lightly sour, umami when cooked
Aroma: Stewed tomato, jammy, and almost meaty when caramelized
Sight: Deepens color in dishes
NOTE: Raw tomato paste can taste sharp and flat. Always cook it in oil for a minute or two and it transforms into the deeper flavor notes you’re looking for.
Why should you buy some?
A tube of tomato paste is cheap, shelf-stable, and tiny; it barely takes up room in the fridge or pantry.
A small spoonful can add color and savory backbone to non-tomato-based dishes, or reinforce tomato flavor by adding more.
When fried in oil, it creates a flavor base that mimics long cooking times. Even if you don’t have meat in a dish, it browns up and creates fond the same way meat does in a pan.
It reinforces tomato flavor & color in pasta sauces, especially if you don’t have access to super ripe tomatoes or high quality canned products.
What else can you do with it?
Bloom it in oil with garlic or spices to start soups, sauces, or stews
Add a tablespoon to rice for color (like Mexican red rice)
Brush onto roasted vegetables halfway through cooking for caramelized edges
Cook into braises, chili, or beans
When making stock, add to aromatics or bones during roasting for extra depth
RECIPE OF THE WEEK ✅
Optimizing spaghetti & meatballs
Basically, anytime we make a tomato sauce or chili or curry, we add in a spoonful of tomato paste to boost the flavor from the start.
That’s the case with this spaghetti & meatballs recipe, which boosts the tomato sauce flavor with a generous squeeze of tomato paste for a deep color and flavor.
On the main channel, Ethan actually tested every ingredient that went into this dish, seeing if expensive ingredients led to a better final product. The result? Aged Parmigiano Reggiano and nice canned tomatoes do make a difference. But if you don’t have access to quality canned San Marzano’s, you can compensate by adding more tomato paste when building the sauce.
For the meatballs, a trick is to use a 50/50 blend of beef & pork. For all the recipe variable and details, head to the full spaghetti and meatballs video:
READER Q&A 🧠
Simplifying sourdough
Question: “How do I keep my sourdough starter alive when I’m on vacation? And any tips for making the whole process simpler? ” - Sarah R.
Contrary to popular belief, a starter culture is pretty resilient, and doesn’t need to be fed daily:
You can keep a sourdough starter in the fridge and you’ll only need to feed it every few weeks. Some people claim it can even go untouched for months without dying.
And on the theme of simpler sourdough methods, check out these recipes that don’t require a perfectly fed starter:
1) Use unfed starter straight from the fridge and don’t bother making a leaven.
2) Make an easier, everyday sourdough sandwich-style bread. Perhaps less sexy than a classic sourdough boule, but much faster.
3) If you just want that sourdough flavor with less hassle, you can try a recipe that combines starter with commercial yeast for a dependable loaf.
Have a culinary question? Reply to send it in for a chance to be featured and get your question answered.
WINNING READER SUBMISSION 🏆
Homegrown breakfast sammies
This week’s dinner winner is Jacob W, who made a pair of healthy breakfast sandwiches, complete with homemade English muffins.
Reply with your best home-cooked food photos for a chance to win & be featured!
EXTRA HELPINGS 🍽️
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Cook confidently at home with the Cook Well App (new updates out!)
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