SPAGHETTI SAUCE, TOMATOES, AND TOMATO SAUCE
PRIORITY: High
CATEGORY: Canned goods
We plan to serve either pizza or spaghetti once a week, and we also find a use for canned tomatoes about once a week. Store cans of spaghetti sauce that you enjoy and that come in a size correct for your family. Alternately, buy in-season tomatoes and water-bath can or pressure-can them or dehydrate them yourself.
COST: $$ (varies)
WHERE TO BUY: Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, any grocery store, Amazon.com
HOW TO STORE: In cans or cases of cans in your rotation pantry
If you can’t buy it all at once, track your progress below.
TOMATOES
SERVING SIZE: about 1/4 can
SEASON: see note
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
SERVING SIZE: about 1/4 can
SEASON: see note
A note on season: Any season will work if buying canned. You can also can your own. End of summer is a great time to buy local tomatoes inexpensively to can your own sauce.
How to dehydrate tomatoes
• Wash tomatoes. To remove skin, blanch tomatoes in boiling water for about 2 minutes until skins split. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking and peel the tomatoes once they are cool enough to handle. Core the tomatoes and slice them. (Cherry tomatoes can just be washed, halved, and dried.) Dehydrate at 120°F for 12 to 16 hours until perfectly dry. You can whirl fully dried tomatoes in the blender to create tomato powder, or you can store them in a vacuum-sealed bag with an oxygen absorber. Alternately you can dry them about halfway, and then put them in a clean jar and cover them with olive oil. Fully dried tomatoes will need to be soaked in very hot water for 15 minutes before using. Half-dried tomatoes can be stored in oil and be used without reconstituting.
What to do with tomatoes
• Make a skillet supper: Add 1/2 pound cooked and drained pasta, 1 pint canned ground beef, 1 can of tomatoes, and rehydrated onion, peppers, and garlic to a skillet and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Optionally add olives and/or cheese.
What to do with spaghetti sauce
• Use to top cooked pasta or pizza.
Done